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w
THE BHAGAVAD GItA
THE LORDS SONG
ANNIE BESANT
new and Itevlsed S&itfon
LONDON
THBOSOPHICAL PUBL SHING SOCIETV
s6 Charing Cross H. W
New York.- Theosoph(c4L Publishlno Society
6s Fif'h Avenue
u
Copyright, 1896,
BY
THE THBOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING S
• • • »•
• • •
• «
9 *
r-^
DEDICATED
TO ALL
STY
ASPIRANTS IN EAST AND WEST
./"..
"{.•■{ » » '
<./;■•■■■■.
PREFACE.
Among the priceless teachings that
may be found in the great Hindu poem
of the Mahdbhdrata^ there is none so
rare and precious as this, " The Lord's
Song." Since it fell from the divine
lips of Shrt Krishna on the field of bat-
tle, and stilled the surging emotions of
his disciple and friend, how many-
troubled hearts has it quieted and
strengthened, how many weary souls
has it led to him! It is meant to lift'
the aspirant from the lower levels of
renunciation where objects are re-
nounced to the loftier heights where
desires are dead, and where the Yog!
dwells in calm and ceaseVe^^ e,oTsX.^xci-
6 PREFACE.
plation, while his body and mine
actively employed in discharging
duties that fall to his lot in life.
the spiritual man need not be a rec
that union with the divine Life m<
achieved and maintained in the i
of worldly affairs, that the obstacl
that union lie not outside us but w
us — such is the central lesson g^
BhAGAVAD GtTA.
It is a scripture of Yoga: now "
is literally union, and it^ ifleans
mony with the divine .Law, the be
ing one with th^ 'divine Life, b}
subdual of all outward-going enei
To reach this, balance must be ga
equilibrium, so that the self, join
the Self, shall not be affected by
sure or pain, desire or aversion, oi
of the "pairs of opposites" bet
which untrained selves swing 1
wards and forwards. Moderatic
therefore the key-note of the GtxA
PREFACE. 7
the harmonising of all the constituents
of man, till they vibrate in perfect
attunement with the One, the supreme
Self. This is the aim the disciple is to
set before him. He must learn not to
be attracted by the attractive, nor re-
pelled by the repellent, but must see
both as manifestations of the one Lord,
so that they may be lessons for his
guidance, not fetters for his bondage.
In the midst of turmoil he must rest in
the Lord of Peace, discharging every
duty to the fullest, not because he seeks
the results of his actions, but because
it is his duty to perform them. His
heart is an altar, love to his Lord the
flame burning upon it; all his acts,
physical and mental, are sacrifices
offered on the altar ; and once offered,
he has with them no further concern.
As though to make the lesson more
impressive, it was given on a field of
battle. Arjuna, the "warciox-Y^m^^^
8 PREFACE.
was to vindicate his brother's titl
destroy a usurper who was oppres
the land; it was his duty as princ
warrior, to fight for the deliveran
his nation and to restore order
peace. To make the contest more
ter, loved comrades and friends j
on both sides, wringing his heart
personal anguish, and making a
flict of duties as well as physical si
Could he slay those to whom he <
love and duty, and trample on ti<
kindred? To break family ties w
sin ; to leave the people in cruel 1:
age was a sin; where was the :
way? Justice must be done, else
, would be disregarded ; but how
: without sin? The answer is the
den of the book : Have no persons
terest in the event ; carry out the
imposed by the position in life ; re
that Ishvara, at once Lord and Lf
the doer, working out the mighty
PREFACE. 9
lution that ends in bliss and peace ; be
(identified with him by devotion, and
then perform duty as duty, fighting
without passion or desire, without an-
ger or hatred ; thus activity forges no
bonds, Yoga is accomplished, and the
soul is free.
Such is the obvious teaching of this
sacred book. But as all the acts of an
Avatara are symbolical, we may pass
from the outer to the inner planes, and
see in the field of Kurukshetra the
battlefield of the Soul, and in the sons
of Dhritarashtra enemies it meets in its
progress ; Ar juna becomes the type of
the struggling soul of the disciple, and
Shri Krishna is the Logos of the soul.
Thus the teaching of the ancient battle-
field gives guidance in all later days,
and trains the aspiring soul in treading
the steep and thorny path that leads to
peace. To all such souls in East and
West come these divine lessons, f^o^ l\\a
lO PREFACE.
path is one, though it has many nan
and all souls seek the same goal, thoi
they may not realise their unity.
In order to gain something of
precision of the Sanskrit, a few tecl
cal but fairly familiar terms have b
given in the original; Manas is t
retained, and may be explained
non-Theosophical readers as mqan
mind, both in the lower mental pi
esses in which it is swayed by
senses, by passions and emotions, ;
in the higher processes of reasoni
Buddhi is the faculty above the r
ocinating mind, and is the Pure Reas
exercising the discriminative faculty
intuition, of spiritual discernment;
these words are translated in vari
ways in different passages, as h<
mind, understanding, etc., etc.
Bhagavad GItA loses much
practical value as a treatise or
and the would-be learner becon
PREFACE. 1 1
fused. The adjectival ending "ic" is
used in forming adjectives from San-
skrit nouns, although its use is some-
times a barbarism. Thus rajasic is
used for rajasa.
To further aid the careful student,
original terms are sometimes added in
foot-notes, where they seem to clarify
the meaning. The epithets applied to
Shri Krishna and Arjuna — the variety
of which is so characteristic of Sanskrit
conversation — are for the most part left
untranslated, as being musical they
thus add to the literary charm, whereas
the genius of English is so different
from that of Sanskrit, that the many-
footed epithets become sometimes al-
most grotesque in translation. Names
derived from that of an ancestor, as
Partha, meaning the son of Pritha,
Kaunteya, meaning the son of Kunti,
are used in one form or the other, ac-
cording to the rhythm of tha ^"^TAfc-^^^.
12 PREFACE.
One other trifling matter, which is yet
not trifling if it aids the student ; when
Atma naeans the One Self, the self of
all, it is printed in small capitals;
where it means the lower, the personal
self, it is printed in ordinary type ; this
is done because there is sometimes a
play on the word, and it is difficult for
an untrained reader to follow the mean-
ing without some such assistance.
My wish, in adding this translation
to those already before the public, was
to preserve the spirit of the original,
especially in its deeply devotional tone,
while at the same time giving an accu-
rate translation, reflecting the strength
and the terseness of the Sanskrit. In
order that mistakes, due to my imper-
fect knowledge, might be corrected, all
of this translation has passed through
the hands of one or other of the follow-
ing gentlemen — friends of mine at
nares — to whom I here tender m
PREFACE. 13
/
grateful acknowledgments: Babus Pra-
mada Das Mittra, Ganganath Jha, Kali
Charan Mittra, and Upendranath Basu.
A few of the notes are also due to
them.
Annie Besant.
THE BHAGAVAD GTtA.
THE LORD'S SONG.
FIRST DISCOURSE.
Aum! '
Dhritarashtra said :
On the holy plain, on Kurukshetra,
gathered together, eager for battle,
what did they do, O Sanjaya, my peo-
ple and the Pandavas? (i)
Sanjaya said :
Having seen arrayed the army of the
PEndavas, the Raja Duryodhana ap-
proached his teacher,* and spake these
words : (2)
^ Drona, the son of Bharadv&ja.
\
\
1 6 THE BHAGAVAD OtxA.
** Behold this mighty host of the sons
of Pandu, O teacher, arrayed by the
son of Drupada, thy wise disciple. (3)
Heroes are these, mighty bowmen,
to Bhfma and Arjuna equal in battle ;
Yujrudhana, Virata, and Drupada of
the great car :* (4)
Drishtaketu, Chekitena and the Raja
of Kashi, the valiant; Purujit and
Khuntibhoja, and Shaivya, bulls*
among men; (5)
Yudhamanyu the strong, and Utto-
mauja the brave; Saubhadra and the
Draupadeyas,* all of great cars. (6)
Know all those who are the chief of
ours, O best of the twice-born, the
leaders of my army ; these I name to
thee for thy information: (7)
* Leader of ten thousand bowmen.
* The bull, as the emblem of manly strength
and vigour, is often used an epithet of honour.
3 The son of Subhadr^, Krishna's sister, and
Arjuna. and the sons of Drupadi by the five.
sons of P^ndu.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 17'
Thou, Lord, and Bhishma, and Kama
■^ id Kripa, conquering in battle ; Ash-
tthamS,, Vikama, and Saumadatti*
also ; (8)
And many others, heroes, ready for
my sake to give up their lives, trained
in divers weapons and missiles and all
well-skilled in war. (9)
Yet insufficient seems this army of
ours, though commanded by Bhishma,
while sufficient seems that army of
theirs, commanded even by Bhima;*
(io>
Therefore in the rank and file let all,
standing firmly in their respective di-
^jisions, support Bhishma, even all ye
Generals." (u)
To enhearten him, the ancient of the
^ The son of Somadatti.
• The commentators differ in their interpreta-
tion of this verse ; Anandagiri takes it to mean
just the reverse of Shridhata Svtoi, and con-
nects "Apary^ptam" with the army of -the
P&ndavas.
l8 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
Kurus, the grandsire/ the glorious,
blew his conch, sounding on high a
lion's roar. (12)
Then conches and kettledrums, ta-
bors and trumpets and cowhoms, sud-
denly blared forth, and the sound was
an uproar. (13)
Then stationed in their great war-
chariot, yoked to white horses, Mad-
hava * and the son of Pandu • blew their
divine conches, (14)
Panchajanya by Hrishikesha, and
Devadatta by Dhananjaya.* Vriko-
dara,*the terrible in action, blew his
mighty conch, Paundra; (15)
' Bhishma.
« Shri Krishna.
' Arjuna.
* Pinchajanya, Shri Krishna's conch, was
made from the bones of the ^iant Panchajana.
slain by him ; the title Hrishikesha is " Lord of
the senses.'* Dhananjaya, the ** conqueror of
wealth," is a title often given to Arjuna, whose
conch is the "God-g^ven."
^Bhima; the meaning of the name of his
conch is doubtful.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 1 9
The Raja, the son of Kunt!, Yud-
hishthira, [blew] Anantavijaya; Nak-
ula and Sahadeva, Sughosha and Mani-
pushpaka.' (i6)
And Kashya,' chief of bowmen, and
Shikandin of the great car, Drishtad-
yumna and Virata and Satyaki, the un-
conquered, (17)
Drupada and the Draupadeyas, O
Lord of earth, and Saubhadra, the
great-armed, on all sides their several
conches blew. (18)
That tumult pierced the hearts of the
sons of Dhritarashtra, for truly the up-
roar re-echoed from earth and sky. (19)
Then, beholding the sons of Dhrita-
rashtra standing arrayed, and the flight
of missiles about to begin, he whose
crest is an ape, the son of Pandu, took
up his bow, (20)
' The conches of the remaining three brothers
were ;iamed respectively, "endless victory,"
** honey- tone" and "jewel-blossom.*'
* l*he king of K^hi. th e modern Benatei^.
/
r
20 THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
And Spake this word to Hrishikesha,
O Lord of earth.
(Arjuna said :)
** In the midst, between the two ar-
mies, my chariot stay, O Achyuta,*
(21)
While I behold these standing, long-
ing for battle, with whom I must strive
in this tremendous war, (22)
And gaze on those here gathered
together, ready to fight, desirous of
pleasing the evil-minded son of Dhrita-
rashtra." (23)
Sanjaya said :
Thus addressed by Gudakesha,* Hri-
shikesha, O Bharata! stayed that best
of chariots in the midst, between the
two armies, (24)
Over against Bhishma, Drona and all
the rulers of the world, and said : " O
* The changeless, the immovable.
^ The lord of sleep. Arjuna.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 21
Partha, behold these Kurus gathered
together." (25)
Then saw Partha standing there
uncles and grandfathers, teachers,
mother's brothers, cousins, (their) sons
and grandsons, comrades, (26)
Fathers-in-law and benefactors also
in both armies; seeing all these kins-
men, thus standing arrayed, Kaunteya,*
Deeply moved to pity, this uttered
in sadness:
Ar juna said :
Seeing these my kinsmen arrayed, O
Krishna, eager to fight, (28)
My limbs fail and my mouth is
parched, my body quivers and my hair
stands on end, (29)
Gandiva slips from my hand, and my
skin bums all over, I am not able to
stand, and my mind seems whirling,
(30)
'The son of Kunti, Arjuna.
22 THE BHAGAVAD G!ta.
And I see adverse omens, O Kes-
hava. ' Nor do I foresee any advantage
from slaying kinsmen in battle. (31)
For I desire not victory, O Krishna,
nor kingdom, nor pleasures; what is
kingdom to us, O Govinda, what en-
joyment, or even life? (32)
Those for whose sake we desire king-
dom, enjoyments and pleasures, they
stand here in battle, abandoning life
and riches — (33)
Teachers, fathers, sons, as well as
grandfathers, mother's brothers, fa-
thers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-
law, and other relatives. (34)
These I do not wish to kill, though
[myself] slain, O Madhusudana,* even
for the sake of the kingship of the
three worlds; how then for earth! (35)
Slaying these sons of Dhritarashtra,
* An epithet, said by some to refer to hair —
hairy.
* The slayer of Madhu. a demon.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 23
what pleasure may be ours, O Janar-
dana?* killing these felons sin will but
take hold of us. (36)
Therefore we should not kill the sons
of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for
how, killing our kinsmen, may we be
happy, O Madhava? (37)
Although these, with intelligence
overpowered by greed, see no guilt in
the destruction of a family, no crime
in hostility to friends, (38)
Why should we not learn to turn away
from such a sin, O Janardana, seeing the
evils in the destruction of a family? (39)
In the destruction of a family the
immemorial family dharmas' perish;
in the perishing of dharma, lawlessness
overcomes the whole family ; (40)
'"Destroyer of the people." Shri Krishna
as the conquering warrior against all forms of
evil.
' Dharma is a wide word, primarily meaning
the essential nature of a thing ; hence, the laws
of its being, its duty : and it includes religious
rites, appropriate to those laws.
24 THE BHAGAVAD gIta.
Owing to predominance of lawless-
ness, O Krishna, the women of the
family become corrupt; women cor-
rupted, O Varshneya, * there ariseth
caste-confusion ; (41)
This confusion draggeth to hell the
family-slaughterers, and the family ,
for their ancestors fall, deprived of
rice-balls and libations. (42)
By these caste-confusing misdeeds
of the family-slaughterers, the eternal
caste Dharma and family Dharma are
abolished. (43)
Of the men whose family Dharma is
extinguished, O Janardana, the abode
is everlastingly in hell. Thus have
we heard. (44)
Alas ! in committing a great sin are
we engaged, we who are endeavouring
to kill our kindred fjrom greed of the
pleasures of kingship. (45)
If the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapon-
^ Belonging to the family of Vrishni.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 25
in-hand, should slay me, unresisting,
unarmed, in the battle, that would for
me be the better. (46)
San jay a said :
Having thus spoken on the battle-
[field], Arjuna sank down on the seat
of the chariot, casting away his bow
and arrow, his mind overborne by
grief. (47)
Thus in the glorious Upanishad of the Bha-
GAVAD GitA, the science of Brahman, the scrip-
ture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri-
Krishna and Arjuna, the first discourse, en-
titled :
THE DESPONDENCY OF ARJUNA.
26 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
SECOND DISCOURSE.
Sanjaya said :
To him thus with pity overcome,
with smarting brimming eyes, despond
ent, Madhusiidana spake these words
The Blessed Lord said :
Whence hath this dejection befallen
thee in this perilous strait, ignoble,'
Svarga-closing," infamous, O Arjuna?
Yield not to impotence, O Partha ! it
doth not befit thee. Shake off this
paltry f aint-heartedness ! Stand up,
Parantapa!' (3)
* Literally, un-krysm,
'Literally, non-svargan ; cowardice in the
Kshattriya closed on him the door of Svarga,
heaven.
^Conqueror of foes.
SECOND DISCOURSE. 27
Arjuna said :
How, Madhusiidana, shall I attack
with arrows in battle Bhishma and
Drona, worthy of reverence, O slayer
of foes! (4)
Better to eat in this world even the
beggars* crust than to slay these Gurus,
high-minded. Slaying these Gurus,
well-wishers,* I should taste of blood
besprinkled feasts. (5)
Nor know I which for us would be
the better, that we conquer them or
they conquer us — these, whom having
slain we should not care to live, even
these arrayed against us, the sons of
Dhritarashtra. (6)
My heart is weighed down with the
vice of f aintness ; my mind is confused
as to Dharma." I ask thee which may
'More often translated, "greedy of wealth,"
but the word is used elsewhere for well-wisher,
and the term is more in accordance with the
tone of Arjuna 's remarks.
' Dharma is the inner nature of a thing, that
}
28 THE BHAGAVAD g!ta.
be the better — that tell me decisively.
I am thy disciple, suppliant to thee;
teach me. (7)
For I see not that it would drive
away this anguish that withers up my
senses, if I should attain monarchy on
earth without a foe, or even the sover-
eignty of the Gods. (8)
San jay a said :
Gudakesha, conqueror of his foes,
having thus addressed Hrishlkesha,
and said to Govinda, " I will not fight!"
became silent. (6)
Then Hrishlkesha, tenderly smiling,
O Bharata, in the midst of the two
armies, to him, despondent, spake
these words: (10)
The Blessed Lord said :
Thou grievest for those that should
which makes it to be what it is externally. It
is often translated law, duty, religion, but the
essential idea is that of an inner life or law, the
other meaning being subsidiary.
SECOND DISCOURSE. 29
not be grieved for, yet speakest words
of wisdom.' The wise grieve neither
for the living nor for the dead. (i i)
Nor at any time verily was I not, nor
thou, nor these princes of men, nor
verily shall we ever cease to be, here-
after. (12)
As the dweller in the body findeth in
the body childhood, youth and old age,
so passeth he on to another body; the
steadfast one grieveth not thereat, (13)
The contacts of the senses, O son of
Kuntt, giving cold and heat, pleasure
and pain, they come and go, imperma-
nent; endure them bravely, O Bharata.
(14)
The man whom these torment not,
O chief of men, balanced in pain and
pleasure, steadfast, he is fitted for im-
mortality. (15)
The unreal hath no being; the real
1 Words that sound wise but miss the deeper
sense of wisdom.
\
30 THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
never ceaseth to be; the truth about
both hath been perceived by the seers
of the Essence of things.' (i6)
Know THAT to be indestructible by
whom all this is pervaded. Nor can
any work the destruction of that im-
perishable One. (17)
These bodies of the embodied One,
who is eternal, indestructible, and
boundless, are known as finite. There-
fore fight, O Bharata. (18)
He who regardeth this as a slayer,
and he who thinketh he is slain, both
of them are ignorant. He slayeth not,
nor is he slain. (19)
He is not bom, nor doth he die : nor
having been, ceaseth he any more to
be; unborn, perpetual, eternal and an-
cient, he is not slain when the body is
slaughtered. (20)
Who knoweth him indestructible,
perpetual, unborn, undiminishing, how
' Tattva. « The dweller in the body.
SECOND DISCOURSE. 3 1
•can that man slay, O Partha, or cause
to be slain? (21)
As a man, casting off worn-out gar-
ments, taketh new ones, so the dweller
in the body, casting off worn-out
bodies, entereth into others that are
new. (22)
Weapons cleave him not, nor fire
bumeth him, nor waters wet him, nor
wind drieth him away. (23)
Uncleavable he, incombustible he,
and indeed neither to be wetted nor
dried away; perpetual, all-pervasive,
stable, immovable, ancient, (24)
Unmanifest, unthinkable, immut-
able, he is called; therefore knowing
him as such, thou shouldst not grieve.
Or if thou thinkest of him as con-
stantly being bom and constantly dy-
ing, even then, O mighty-armed, thou
shouldst not grieve. (26)
For certain is death for the bom, and
32 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
certain birth for the dead; therefore
over the inevitable thou shouldst not
grieve. (27)
Beings are unmanifest in their ori-
gin, manifest in their midmost state, O
Bharata, unmanifest likewise are they
in dissolution. What room then for
lamentation? (28)
As marvellous one regardeth him;
as marvellous another speaketh thereof;
as marvellous another heareth thereof;
yet having heard, none indeed under-
standeth. (29)
This dweller in the body of everyone
is ever invulnerable, O Bharata; there-
fore thou shouldst not grieve for any
creature. (30)
Further, looking to thine own Dhar-
ma, thou shouldst not tremble; for
there is nothing more welcome to a
Kshattriya than righteous war. (31)
Happy the Kshattriyas, O Pirtha,
who obtain such a fight, sponta-
SECOND DISCOURSE. 35
neously offered as an open door to
Svarga. (32)
But if thou wilt not carry on this .
righteous warfare, then, casting away
thine own Dharma and thine honour,
thou wilt incur sin. (33)
Men will recount thy perpetual dis-
honour, and, to one highly esteemed
dishonour is worse than death. (34)
The great car- warriors * will think
thou hast fled the battle from fear, and
thou that wast highly thought of by
them, wilt be lightly held. (35)
Many unseemly words will be spoken
by thine enemies, slandering thy
strength ; what more painful than that ; *
(36) ' '
Slain, thou wilt obtain Svarga ; vic-
torious, thou wilt enjoy the earth;
therefore stand up, O son of Kunti,
resolute to fight. (37)
Taking as equal pleasure and pain
* The generals.
3
34 THE BHAGAVAD g!ta.
:gain and loss, victory and defeat, gird
thee for the battle ; thus thou shalt not
incur sin. (^8)
This teaching set forth to thee is in
accordance with the Sankhya; hear it
now according to Yoga, imbued with
which teaching, O Partha, thou shalt
cast away the bonds of action. (39)
In this there is no loss of effort, nor is
there transgression. Even a little of
this Dharma frees one from great fear.
(40)
The determinate reason is but one in
this mortal life, O joy of the Kunis;
many-branched and endless are the
.thoughts of the irresolute. (41)
Flowery speech is uttered by the
foolish, rejoicing in the letter of the
Vedas, O Partha, saying: "There is
naught but this." (42)
With Kama for self, ^ with Svarga for
^ Those whose very self is K^ma, i.e., desire,
and who therefore act with a view to win
Svarga. and also rebirth to wealth and rank.
SECOND DISCOURSE. 35
goal, they offer birth as the fruit of
action, and prescribe many and various
ceremonies for the attainment of pleas-
ure and lordship. (43)
For them who cling to pleasure and
lordship, whose minds are captivated
by such (speech), is not designed this
(determinate) reason, on contempla-
tion * steadily bent. (44)
The Vedas deal with the three attri-
butes ; ' be thou above these three attri-
butes, O Arjuna; beyond the pairs of
opposites, ever steadfast in Sattva,
careless of possessions, full of the self.
(45)
All the Vedas are as useful to an
enlightened Brahman, as is a tank in a
place covered all over with water. (46)
Thy business is with the action only,
1 Samadhi.
' Gunas=attributes, or forms of energy.
They are Sattva, purity, Rajas, activity or pas-
sion, Tama, inertness or darkness.
36 THE BHAGAVAD gIta.
never with its fruits; so let not t
fruit of action be thy motive, nor
thou to inaction attached. (^
Perform action, O Dhananjaya, dwe
ing in union with the divine,* renoui
ing attachments, and balanced ever
in success and failure: equilibrium
called Yoga. (^
Far lower than Buddhi-Yoga ' is i
tion, O Dhananjaya. Take thou refu
in Buddhi ; pitiable are they who wc
for fruit. (^
United to Buddhi, one abandone
here both good and evil deeds, the:
fore cleave thou to Yoga ; Yoga is si
in action. («
The sages, united to Buddhi, :
nounce the fruit which action yieldei
and liberated from the bonds of bin
they go to the blissful seat. (t
' Dwelling in Yoga.
^ Union with Buddhi ; the innermost she,
(or vehicle) of Atm&.
SECOND DISCOURSE. 37
When thy Buddhi shall pass beyond
this tangle of delusion, then thou shalt
rise to indiflference as to what has been
heard and shall be heard. (52)
When thy Buddhi, bewildered by the
Shruti,* shall stand immovable, fixed
in contemplation then shalt thou attain
to Yoga.* (53)
Arjuna said :
What is the mark of him who is
stable of mind, steadfast in contempla-
tion, O Keshava? how doth the stable-
minded talk, how doth he sit, how
walk? (54)
The Blessed Lord said :
When a man abandoneth, O Partha!
all the desires of the heart, and is satis-
fied in the Self by the Self, then is he
called stable in mind. (55)
' Revealed Scriptures.
•To union with Atm^. the self; Yoga, or
union, means harmony with the divine will.
The word translated contemplation is, as be-
fore. SamMhi.
38 THE BHAGAVAD GtlA.
He whose Manas is free from anxiety
amid pains, indifferent amid pleasures,
loosed from passion, fear and anger, he
is called a Muni * of stable mind. (56)
He who on every side is without at-
tachments, whatever hap of fair and
foul, who neither likes nor dislikes, of
such a one the understanding is well-
poised. (57)
When, again, as a tortoise draws in
on all sides its limbs, he withdraws his
senses from the objects, of sense, then
is his understanding well-poised. (58)
The objects of sense, but not the
taste (for them),* turn away from an
abstemious dweller in the body; and
even taste tumeth away from him after
the Supreme is seen. (59)
O son of Kunti, the excited senses of
* A saint : in its original meaning one who
observed the vow of silence.-
'^The objects turn away when rejected, but
still desire for them remains; even desire is
lost when the Supreme is seen.
SECOND DISCOURSE. 39.
(even) a wise man, though careful, im-
petuously carry away his Manas. (60)'
Having restrained them all,, he should,
sit harmonized, devoted wh<Dlly to me;,
for whose senses are mastered, of hinp
the understanding is well-poised. {6iy
Man, musing on the objects of sense,,
conceiveth an attachment to these,,
from attachment ariseth desire; from
desire anger* cometh forth; (62)
From anger proceedeth delusion;
from delusion confused memory ; from*
confused memory the destruction of
Buddhi ; ' from destruction of Buddhi,
he perishes. (63)
But the disciplined self, moving
among sense-objects with senses free
from attraction and repulsion, mastered
by the Self, goeth to Peace. (64)
In that Peace the extinction of all
pains ariseth for him, for of him whose
»Krodha.
* Discrimination.
40 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
heart is peaceful the Buddhi soon at-
taineth equilibrium. (65)
There is no Buddhi for the non-har-
monized, nor for the non-harmonized
is there concentration ; ' for him with-
out concentration there is no peace,
and for the unpeaceful how can there
be happiness? (66)
Such of the roving senses as the
Manas yieldeth to, that hurries away the
understanding, just as the gale (hurries
away) ships upon the waters. (67)
Therefore, O mighty-armed, whose
senses are all completely restrained
from the objects of sense, of him the
understanding is well-poised. (68)
That which is the night of all beings,
for the disciplined man is the time of
waking; when other beings are wak-
ing, then is night for the Muni who
seeth.* (69)
* The sage is awake to things over which the
SECOND DISCOURSE. 4 1
He attaineth Peace, into whom all
desires flow as rivers flow into the
ocean, which is filled with water but
remaineth unmoved — not he who de-
sireth desire. (70)
Whoso forsaketh all desires and go-
eth onwards free from yeamiligs, self-
less and without egoism — he goeth to
Peace. (71)
This is the Brahman state, O son of
Pritha. Having attained thereto none
is bewildered. Who even at the death-
hour is established therein, he goeth to
the Nirvana of Brahman. (72)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GItA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the second discourse, en-
titled :
YOGA BY THE 8ANKHYA.
ordinary man sleeps, and vice versd the eyes
of the sage are open to truths shut out from the
common vision, while that which is real for the
masses is illusion <^or the sage.
42 THE BHAGAVAD g!ta.
THIRD DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said :
If it be thought by thee that knowl-
edge is superior to action, O Janardana,
why dost thou, O Keshava! enjoin on
me this terrible action? (i)
With these perplexing words thou
only confusest my understanding;*
therefore tell me with certainty the one
(way) by which I may reach bliss? (2)
The Blessed Lord said :
In this world there is a twofold path,
as I before said, O sinless one, that of
Yoga by knowledge — of the Sankhyas,
and that of Yoga by action — of the
Yogis. (3)
> Buddhi.
THIRD DISCOURSE. 43
Man winneth not freedom from
action by abstaining from activity, nor"
by mere renunciation (of activity) doth
he rise to perfection. (4)
Nor can anyone, even for an instant,
remain actionless; for helplessly is
everyone driven to action by the ener-
gies ' bom of nature. ' (5)
Who sitteth, controlling the organs
of action, but dwelling in his mind on
the objects of the senses, that bewil-
dered man is called a hypocrite. (6)
But who, controlling the senses by
Manas, O Arjuna, with the organs of
action without attachment, performeth
Yoga by action,* he is worthy. (7)
Perform thou right action, for action
is superior to inaction, and, inactive,.
' Gnna.
• Prakriti.
* Karma- Yoga is the consecration of physical
energy on the Divine Altar ; /. e. , the using of
one's organs of action simply in service, in
obedience to Law and Duty.
1
44 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
even the maintenance of thy body
would not be possible. (8)
The world is bound by action, unless
performed for the sake of sacrifice;
with such object, free from attach-
ment, O son of Kunti, perform thou
action. (9)
Having in ancient times emanated
mankind together with sacrifice, the
Lord of emanation * said : ** By this
shall ye propagate ; be this to you the
Kamadhuk ; * (10)
" With this nourish ye the Gods, and
may the Gods nourish you ; thus nour-
ishing one another, ye shall reap the
supremest good. (11)
"For, nourished by sacrifice, the
Gods shall bestow on you the enjoy-
ments you desire." A thief verily is
'Praj^pati.
' The cow of Indra, from which each could
milk what he wished for, hence the giver of
desired objects.
THIRD DISCOURSE. 45
he who enjoyeth what is given by
Them without returning the gift. (12)
The righteous, who eat the remains
of the sacrifice, are freed from all sins ;
but the impious, who dress food for
their own sakes, they verily eat sin.
(13)
From food creatures become; from
rain is the production of* food; rain
proceedeth from sacrifice; sacrifice
ariseth out of action; (14)
Know thou from Brahma* action
groweth, and Brahma from the imper-
ishable Cometh. Therefore Brahman,
the all-permeating, is ever present in
sacrifice. (15)
He who on earth doth not follow the
wheel thus rewoling, sinful of life and
rejoicing in the senses, he, O son of
Pritha, liveth in vain. (16)
But the man verily who rejoiceth in
■An Indian of much knowledge translates
Brahma here as " the Vedas. **
f
^
46 THE BHAGAVAD gItA,
the Self, with the Self is sati sfied, and
is content in the Self, for him there is
nothing to do ; (17)
For him there is no interest in things
done in this world, nor any in things
not done, nor doth any object of his
depend on any being. (18)
Therefore, without attachment, con-
stantly perform action which is duty,
for, performing action without attach-
ment, man verily reacheth the Supreme.
(19)
Janaka and others indeed attained to
perfection by action; then having an
eye to the protection of the masses also,
thou shouldst perform action. (20)
Whatsoever a great man doeth, that
other men also do; the standard he
setteth up, by that the people go. (21)
There is nothing in the three worlds,
O Partha, that should be done by Me,
nor anything unattained that might be
attained; yet I mingle in action. (22)
THIRD DISCOURSE. 47
For if I mijigled not ever in action,
unwearied, mer all around would fol-
low My path, O son of Pritha. (23)
These worlds would fall into ruin, if
I did not perform action ; I should be
the author of confusion of castes, and
should destroy these creatures. (24)
i As the ignorant act from attachment
bo action, O Bharata, so should the wise
act without attachment, desiring the
maintenance of mankind. (25)
Let no wise man unsettle the mind
of ignorant people attached to action;
but acting in harmony (with Me) let
him render all action attractive. (26)
All actions are wrought by the ener-
• gies of nature only. The self, deluded
by egoism,* thinketh: " I am the doer."
(27)
But he, O mighty-armed, who know-
eth the essence of the divisions of the
energies and functions, holding that
1 Ahank^ra, the separate " I am. "
48 THE BHAGAVAD GIta.
** the energies move amid tne energies" *
is not bound. (28)
Those deluded by the energies of
nature are attached to the functions of
the energies. The man of perfect
knowledge should not unsettle the fool-
ish whose knowledge is imperfect. (29)
Surrendering all actions to Me, with
thy thoughts (resting) on the supreme
Self, from hope atid egoism freed, and
of mental fever cured, engage in battle.
(30)
Who abide ever in this teaching of
Mine, full of faith and free from cavil-
ling, they too are released from actions.
(31)
Who carp at My teaching and act not
thereon, senseless, deluded in all knowl-
edge, know thou them to be given over
to destruction. (32)
' The energies as sense-organs move amid the
energies as sense-objects. A suggested read-
ing is "The functions dwell in the propensi-
ties."
\
THIRD DISCOURSE. 49s
Even the man of knowledge acteth ac-
cording to his own nature ; beings follow
nature; what shall restraint ,avail? (33)
Affection and aversion for the objects
of sense abide in the senses ; let none
come under the dominion of these two ;
they are his adversaries. (34)
Better one's own Dharma, though
destitute of merit than the Dharma of
another, well-discharged. Better death,
in the discharge of one's own Dharma;
the Dharma of another is full of dan-
ger. (35 >
Arjuna said:
But dragged on by what does a man
commit sin, reluctantly indeed, O Var-
shneya, as it were by force constrained?
(36>
The Blessed Lord said :
It is desire, it is wrath, begotten by
the Rajas-energy; all-consuming, all-
polluting, know thou this as our foe
here on earth. (37)
4
50 THE BHAGAVAD GItA.
As a flame is enveloped by smoke, as
a mirror by dust, as an embryo is
wrapped by ^.he womb, so This* is en-
veloped by it. (38)
Enveloped is wisdom by this constant
enemy of the wise in the form of desire,
which is insatiable as a flame. (39)
The senses, Manas and Buddhi are
said to be its seat ; by these enveloping
wisdom, it bewilders the dweller in the
body. (40)
Therefore, O best of the Bharatas,
mastering first the senses, do thou slay
this thing of sin, destructive of wisdom
and knowledge ! (41)
It is said that the senses are great;
greater than the senses is Manas;
greater than Manas is Buddhi; but
what is greater than Buddhi, is He."
(42)
*The universe: "This** as opposed to
"That.** the Eternal. Some say "This"
stands for " knowledge. "
' The Supreme.
THIRD DISCOURSE. 5 I
Thus understanding Him as greater
than Buddhi, restraining the self by
the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed,
the enemy in the form of desire, diffi-
cult to overcome. (43)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GtrA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna. the third discourse, en-
titled :
THE YOGA OF ACTION.
52 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
FOURTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said:
This imperishable Yoga I declared to
Vivasvat'; Vivasvat taught it to Manu ;
Manu to Ikshvaku told it ! (i)
This, handed on down the line, the
King-Sages knew. This Yoga by great
efflux of time, decayed in the world, O
Parantapa. (2)
This same ancient Yoga hath been
to-day declared to thee by Me, for thou
art My devotee and My friend; it is
the Supreme Secret. (3)
Ar juna said :
Later was thy birth, earlier the birth
of Vivasvat ; how then am I to under-
stand that Thou declarest it in the be-
ginning? (4)
FOURTH DISCOURSE. 53
The Blessed Lord said:
Many births have been left behind
by Me and by thee, O Arjuna. I know
them all, but thou knowest not thine,
Parantapa. (5)
Though unborn, the imperishable
Self, and also the Lord of all beings,
brooding over nature, which is Mine
own, yet I am bom through My own
Maya.* (6)
Whenever there is decay of Dharma,
O Bharata, and there is exaltation of Ad-
harma," then I Myself come forth; (7)
For the protection of the good, for
the destruction of evil-doers, for the
sake of firmly establishing Dharma, I
am born from age to age. (8)
*The power of thought that produces form,
which is transient and therefore unreal com-
pared with the eternal Reality; hence M^y^
comes to be taken as the power of producing
illusion.
*The opposite of dharma, all that is disor-
derly against the nature of things.
54 THE BHAGAVAD g!ta.
He who thus knoweth My divine
birth and action, in its essence, having
abandoned the body, cometh not to
birth again, but cometh unto Me, O
Arjuna. (9)
Freed from passion, fear and anger,
thinking on Me, taking refuge in Me,
purified in the fire of wisdom,' many
have entered into My being. (10)
However men approach Me, even so
do I accept them, for the path men
take from every side is Mine, O Partha.
(")
They who long after success in action
sacrifice on earth to the Gods ; for in
brief space verily, in this world of men,
success is born of action. (12)
The four castes were emanated by
Me, by the different distribution of en-
ergies and actions ; know Me to be the
author of them, though the actionless
and inexhaustible. (13)
* Tapas, from Tap, blazing like fire.
FOURTH DISCOURSE. 55
Nor do actions affect Me, nor is the
fruit of action desired by Me. He who
thus knoweth Me is not bound by
actions. (14)
Having thus known, our forefathers,
ever seeking liberation, performed ac-
tion; therefore do thou also perform
action, as did our forefathers in the
olden time. (15)
"What is action, what inaction?"
Even the wise are herein perplexed.
Therefore I will declare to thee the
action by knowing which thou shalt be
loosed from evil. (16)
It is needful to discriminate action,
to discriminate unlawful action, and to
discriminate inaction ; mysterious is the
path of action. (17)
He who seeth inaction in action, and
action in inaction, he is wise among
men, he is harmonious, even while per-
forming all action. {18)
Whose works are all free from the
56 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
moulding of desire, whose actions are
burned up by the fire of wisdom, him
the wise have called a Sage. (19)
Having abandoned attachment to the
fruit of action, always content, nowhere
seeking refuge, he is not doing any-
thing, although doing actions. (20)
Hoping for naught, his mind and self
. controlled, having abandoned all greed,
performing action by the body alone,
he doth not commit sin. (21)
Content with whatsoever he obtain-
eth without effort, free from the pairs
of opposites, without envy, balanced
in success and failure, though acting
he is not bound; (22)
Of one with attachment dead, harmo-
nious, with his thoughts established in
wisdom, working for sacrifice (only), all
action melts away. (23)
Brahman the oblation. Brahman the
clarified butter, are offered to Brah-
man the fire, by Brahman; unto Brah-
FOURTH DISCOURSE. 57
man verily shall he go who in his action
meditateth wholly upon Brahman. (24)
Some Yogis offer up sacrifice to the
Gods;' others sacrifice only by pouring
sacrifice into the fire of Brahman; (25)
Some pour as sacrifice hearing and
the other senses into th^ fires of re-
straint ; some pour sound and the other
objects of sense into the fires of the
senses as sacrifice; (26)
Others again into the wisdom-kindled
fire of union (attained) by self-control,
pour as sacrifice all the functions of the
senses and the functions of life; (27)
Yet others the sacrifice of wealth,
the sacrifice of austerity, the sacrifice
of Yoga, the sacrifice of silent reading
and wisdom, men concentrated and of
effectual vows; (28)
Yet others pour as sacrifice the out-
going breath in the incoming, and the
incoming in the outgoing, restraining
* Literally, divine sacrifice.
t
k
58 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
the flow of the outgoing and incoming
breaths, solely absorbed in Pranayama;^
(29)
Others, regular in food, pour as sac-
rifice their life breaths in life breaths.
All these are knowers of sacrifice, and
\ by sacrifice have destroyed their sins.
(30>
The eaters of the amrita ' remains of
sacrifices go to the eternal Brahman.
This world is not for the non-sacrificer,
much less the other, O best of the
Kurus. (31)
Many and various sacrifices are thus
spread out before Brahman.' Know
thou that all these are born of action,
and thus knowing thou shalt be free.
(32>
> Restraint of breath, a technical name for
this practice.
* Amrita is the elixir of immortality, and the
amrita-remains, therefore, are foods that give
immortality.
' " In the Vedas" is another interpretation.
FOURTH DISCOURSE. 59
Better than the sacrifice of any ob-
jects is the sacrifice of wisdom, O Par-
antapa. All actions in their entirety, O
Partha, culminate in wisdom. (33)
Learn thou this by discipleship,* by
investigation, and by service. The
wise, the seers of the Essence of things,
will instruct thee in wisdom, (34)
And having known this, thou shalt
not again fall into this confusion, O
Pandkva; for by this thou wilt see all
beings without exception in the Self
and thus in Me. (35)
Even if thou art the most sinful of
all sinners, yet shalt thou cross over all
sin by the raft of wisdom. (;^6)
As the burning fire reduces fuel to
ashes, O Arjuna, so doth the fire of
wisdom reduce all actions to ashes.
(37>
Verily there is nothing so pure in
^ Literally, falling at the feet, /.^., the feet
of the teacher.
f
6o THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
this world as wisdom ; he that is per«
f ected in Yoga finds it in the Self in
due season. (38)
The man who is full of faith ' obtain-
eth wisdom, and he also who hath mas-
tery over his senses, and having ob-
tained wisdom he goeth swiftly to the
Supreme Peace. (39)
But the ignorant, faithless, doubting
self goeth to destruction; nor this
world nor that beyond nor happiness is
there for the doubting self. (40)
He who hath renounced actions by
Yoga, who hath cloven asunder doubt
by wisdom, who is ruled by the Self,'
actions do not bind him, O Dhananjaya.
(41)
Therefore, with the sword of the
wisdom of the Self cleaving asunder
this ignorance-born doubt, dwelling in
» Who is intent upon faith.
' Madhusftdana explains dtmavantam
|l " always watchful . "
as
FOURTH DISCOURSE. 6r
thy heart, be established in Yoga.
Stand up, O Bharata! (42)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GItA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the fourth discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF WISDOM.
1
62 THE 6HAGAVAD OiTA.
FIFTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said:
Renunciation of actions, thou prais-
est, O Krishna, and then also Yoga.
Of the two which one is the better?
Tell me that conclusively. (i)
The Blessed Lord said :
Renunciation and Yoga by action
both lead to the highest bliss ; of the
two. Yoga by action is verily better
than renunciation of action. (2)
He should be known as a perpetual
Sannyasi,* who neither hateth nor dd-
sireth ; free from the pairs of opposites,
O mighty-armed, he is easily set free
from bondage. (3)
1 An ascetic who renounces all.
FIFTH DISCOURSE. 63
Children, not Sages, speak of the
Sankhya and Yoga as different ; he who
is duly established in one obtaineth the
fruits of both. (4)
That place which is gained by the
Sankhyas is reached by the Yogis also.
He seeth, who seeth that the Sankhya
and the Yoga are one. (5)
But without Yoga, O mighty-armed,
renunciation is hard to attain to; the
Yoga-harmonised Muni swiftly goeth
to Brahman. (6)
He who is harmonised by Yoga, the
self purified, SELF-ruled, the senses
subdued, whose self is the self of all
beings, although acting he is not
affected. (7)
"I do not anything," should think
the harmonised one, who knoweth the
essence of things; seeing, hearing,
toughing, smelling, eating, moving,
sleeping, breathing, (8)
Speaking, giving, grasping, opening
64 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
and closing the eyes, he holdeth : " The
senses move among the objects of
sense. " (9)
He who acteth, placing all actions in
Brahman, abandoning attachment, is
unaffected by sin as a lotus leaf by the
waters. (lo)
Yogis, having abandoned attach-
ment, perform action only by the body,
by Manas, by Buddhi, and even by the
senses, for the purification of the self.
The harmonised man, having aban-
doned the fruit of action, attaineth to
everlasting Peace ; the non-harmonised,
impelled by desire, attached to fruit,
are bound. (12)
Mentally renouncing all actions, the
sovereign dweller in the body resteth
serenely in the nine-gated city,* neither
acting nor causing to act. (13)
The Lord of the world produceth not
> The body, often called the city of Brahman*
FIFTH DISCOURSE. 65
the idea of agency, nor actions, nor the
union together of action and its fruit ;
nature, however, energiseth. (14)
The Lord accepteth neither the evil
nor yet the well-doing of any. Wisdom
is enveloped by unwisdom; therewith
mortals are deluded. (15)
Verily, in whom unwisdom is de-
stroyed by the wisdom of the Self, in
them wisdom, shining as the sun, re-
veals the Supreme. (16)
Thinking on That, merged in That,
established in that, solely devoted to
That, they go whence there is no re-
turn, their sins dispelled by wisdom.
(17)
Sages look equally on a Brahman
adorned with learning and humility, a
cow, an elephant, and even a dog, and
aSvapaka.' (18)
Even here on earth everything is
overcome by those whose Manas re-
1 The lowest class of outcasts.
5
Ik
66 THE BHAGAVAD GItA.
mains balanced ; Brahman is incorrupt-
ible and balanced ; therefore they are
established in Brahman. (19)
With Buddhi firm, unperplexed, the
Brahman-knower, established in Brah-
man, neither rejoiceth on obtaining
what is pleasant, nor sorroweth on ob-
taining what is unpleasant. (20)
He whose self is unattached to ex-
ternal contacts and findeth joy in the
Self, having the self harmonised with
Brahman by Yoga, enjoys happiness
exempt from decay. (21)
The delights that are contact-bom
they are verily wombs of pain, for they
have beginning and ending, O Kaun-
teya ; not in them may rejoice the wise. '
(")
He who is able to endure here on
earth, ere he be liberated from the
body, the propulsive force arising from
desire and passion, he is harmonised,
he is a happy man. (23)
FIFTH DISCOURSE. 67
He who is happy within, who rejoic-
eth within, who is illuminated within, ■
that Yogi, becoming Brahman, goeth
to the Brahma-Nirvana. (24)
The Rishis, their sins destroyed,
their duality removed, their selves con-
trolled, intent upon the welfare of all
beings, obtain the Brahma. (25)
Brahma- Nirvana lies near to those
who know themselves, who are dis-
joined from desire and passion, sub-
dued in nature, of subdued thoughts.
(26)
Having external contacts excluded,
and with gaze fixed between the eye-
brows ; having made the outgoing and
incoming breaths equal, moving within
the nostrils, (27)
With senses, Manas and Buddhi ever
controlled, solely pursuing liberation,
the Muni, having for ever cast away
desire, fear and passion, he verily is
liberated. (28)
!
%
68 THE 6HAGAVAD CtXA.
Having known Me, as the Lord of
sacrifice and of austerity, the mighty
Ruler of all the worlds, and the Lover
of all beings, he goeth to Peace. (29)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GItA. the science of Brahman, in
the scri|)ture of Yoga, in the dialogue between
Shri Krishna and Arjuna, the fift£ discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF THE RENUNCIATION OF ACTION.
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 69
SIXTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said :
He that performeth such action as is
duty, independently of the fruit of
action, he is a Sannyasi, and he is a
Yogi, not he that is without fire, and
who dOeth nothing.* (i)
That which is called renunciation
know thou that as Yoga, O Pandava;
nor doth any one become a Yogi with
the formative will' unrenounced. (2)
For a Muni who is seeking Yoga,
action is called the means; for the
' The Sanny^i lights no sacrificial fire, and
performs no sacrifices nor ceremonies; but
merely to omit these, without true renuncia-
tion. IS not to be a real Sanny^i.
* The imaginative faculty, that makes plans
for the future.
70 THE BHAGAVAD OtTA.
same Muni, when he is enthroned in
Yoga, serenity is called the means.
(3)
When a man feeleth no attachment
either for the objects of sense or for
actions, renouncing the formative will,
then, he is said to be enthroned in
Yoga. (4)
Let him raise the self by the Self,
and not let the self become depressed;
for verily is the Self the friend of the
self, and also the Self the self's enemy;
(5)
The Self is the friend of the self of
him in whom the self by the Self is
vanquished ; but to the unsubdued self,*
the self verily become th hostile as an
enemy. (6)
The higher Self of him who is Self-
controlled and peaceful, is uniform in
cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as
well as in honour and dishonour. (7)
* Literally, the non-self.
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 71
The Yogi ^ who is satisfied with wis-
dom and knowledge unwavering, whose
senses are subdued, to whom a lump of
earth, a stone and gold are the same, is
said to be harmonised. (8)
He is highly esteemed who regards
impartially lovers, friends, and foes,
strangers, neutrals, foreigners and rela-
tives, also the righteous and unright-
eous. (9)
Let the Yogi constantly engage him-
self in Yoga, remaining in a secret place
by himself, with thought and self sub-
dued, free from hope and greed. (10)
In a pure place, established on a
fixed seat of his own, neither very
much raised nor very low, made of a
cloth, a black antelope skin and kusha
grass, one over the other. (11)
There, having made Manas one-
pointed, with thought and the functions
* The word Yogi is used for any one who is
practising Yoga, as well as for the man who
has attained union.
}
72 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
of the senses subdued, steady on his
seat, he should practise Yoga for the
purification of the self. (12)
Holding the body, head, and neck
erect, immovably steady, looking fix-
edly at the point of the nose, with tm-
wandering gaze, (13)
The self serene, fearless, firm in the
vow of the Brahmachari,* Manas con-
trolled, thinking on Me, harmonised,
let him sit aspiring after Me. (14)
The Yogi, ever united thus with the
Self, with Manas controlled, goeth to
Peace, to the supreme Nirvana that
abideth in Me. (15)
Verily Yoga is not for him who eat-
eth too much, nor who abstaineth to
excess, nor who is too much addicted
to sleep, nor even to wakefulness, O
Arjuna. (16)
Yoga killeth out all pain for him who
* A Brahmach^ri is a man who is keeping the
vow of continence.
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 73
is regulated in eating and amusement,
regulated in performing actions, regu-
lated in sleeping and waking. (17)
When his subdued thought is fixed ,
on the Self, free from longing after all
desirable things, then it is said, " he is . '
harmonised. ** .(18)
As a lamp sheltered from the wind
flickereth not, to such is likened the
Yogi of subdued thought, absorbed in
the Yoga of the Self. (19)
That in which the mind finds rest,
quieted by the practice of Yoga, that in
which he seeing the Self by the Self,
in the Self is satisfied; (20)
That in which he findeth the supreme
delight which the Buddhi can grasp be-
yond the senses, wherein established,
he moveth not from the Reality; (21)
Which, having obtained, he thinketh
there is no greater gain beyond it;
wherein established, he is not shaken
even by heavy sorrow ; (2 2)
f
74 THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
That should be known by the name
of Yoga, this disconnection from the
union with pain. This Yoga must be
clung to with a firm conviction and
steady thoughts. (23)
Abandoning without reserve all de-
sires born of the imagination, by Manas
curbing in the aggregate of the senses
on every side, (24)
Little by little let him gain tranquil-
lity by means of Buddhi controlled by
steadiness; having made Manas abide
in the Self, let him not think of any-
thing. (25)
As often as the wavering and un-
steady Manas goeth forth, so often
reining it in, let him bring it under the
control of the Self. (26)
Supreme joy is for this Yogi whose
Manas is peaceful, whose passion-nature
is calmed, who is sinless and of the na-
ture of Brahman. (27)
The Yogi who thus ever harmonising
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 75
the self with Brahman, hath put away
sin, he easily enjoyeth the infinite bliss
of contact with Brahman. (28)
The self, harmonised by Yoga, seeth
the Self abiding in all beings, all be-
ings in the Self ; everywhere he seeth
the same. (29)
He who seeth Me everywhere, and
seeth everything in Me, of him will I
never lose hold, and he shall never lose
hold of Me. (30)
He who, established in unity, wor-
shippeth Me, abiding in all beings, that
Yogi liveth in Me, whatever his mode
of living. (31)
He who, through the likeness of the
SELF,* O Arjuna, seeth identity in every-
thing, whether pleasant or painful, he
is considered a perfect Yogi. (32)
Arjuna said;
This Yoga which Thou hast declared
^ The same Self shining in the heart of each.
r
76 THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
I
I to be by equanimity, O Madhusudana,
I see not a stable foundation for it, ow-
ing to restlessness ; (;^2)
For Manas is verily restless, O
Krishna; it is impetuous, strong and
difficult to bend ; I deem it as hard to
curb as the wind. (34)
The Blessed Lord said :
Without doubt, O mighty-armed,
Manas is hard to curb and restless ; but
it may be curbed by constant practice
and by indifference. (35)
Yoga is hard to attain, methinks, by
a self that is uncontrolled ; but by the
self -controlled it is attainable by prop-
erly directed energy. (36)
Ar juna said :
He who is unsubdued but who pos-
sesseth faith, with Manas wandering
away from Yoga, failing to attain per-
fection in Yoga, what path doth he
tread, O Krishna? (37)
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 77
Fallen from both, is he destroyed like
a rent cloud, unsteadfast, O mighty-
armed, deluded in the path of Brah-
man? (38)
Deign, O Krishna, to completely dis-
pel this doubt of mine; for there is
none to be found save thyself able to
destroy this doubt. (39)
The Blessed Lord said -.
O son of Pritha, neither in this world
nor in the life to come is there destruc-
tion for him; never doth any who .
worketh righteousness, O beloved,
tread the path of woe. (40)
Having attained to the worlds of the
pure-doing, and having dwelt there for
eternal years, he who fell from Yoga is
reborn in a pure and blessed house;
(41)
Or he may even be bom into a fam-
ily of wise Yogis; but such a birth
78 THE BHAGAVAD GITA.
as that is hard to obtain in this
world. (42)
There he recovereth the character-
istics belonging to his former body,
and with these again laboureth for per-
fection, O joy of the Kurus ! (43)
By that former practice he is irresist-
ibly swept away. Only wishing to
know Yoga, even the seeker after Yoga
goeth beyond the Brahmic word, ^
(44)
But the Yogi, labouring with assid-
uity, purified from sin, fully perfected
through manifold births, he reacheth
the supreme goal. (45)
The Yogi is greater than the ascetics ;
he is thought to be greater than even
the wise ; the Yogi is greater than the
men of action ; therefore become thou
a Yogi, O Ar juna ! (46)
And among all Yogis, he who full of
faith, with the inner Self abiding in
» The Vedas.
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 79
Me, adoreth Me, he is considered by
Me to be the most completely harmo-
nised. (47)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad G!tA. the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the sixth discourse, en-
titled :
THE YOGA OF 8ELF-8UBDUAL.
So THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
SEVENTH DISCOURSE,
The Blessed Lord said:
With Manas clinging to Me, O Partha
performing Yoga, refuged in Me, how
thou shalt without doubt know Me to
the uttermost, that hear thou. (i)
I will declare to thee this knowledge
and wisdom in its completeness, which,
having known, there is nothing more
here remaineth to be known. (2)
Among thousands of men scarce one
striveth for perfection ; of the success-
ful strivers scarce one knoweth Me in
essence. (3)
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, Manas
and Buddhi also and Ahankara — these
SEVENTH DISCOURSE. 8 1
are the eightfold division of My Pra-
kriti— ' (4)
This the inferior. Know My other
Prakriti, the higher, the life-element,
O mighty-armed, by which the universe
is upheld. (5)
Know this to be the womb of all be-
ings. I am the going forth of the
whole universe and likewise its dissolv-
ing. (6)
There is naught whatsoever higher
than I, O Dhananjaya. All this is
'.hreaded on Me as jewels on a string.
(7)
I the sapidity in waters, O Son of
unti, I the radiance in moon and sun ;
•anava' in all the Vedas, sound in
ler, and virility in men ; (8)
The pure fragrance of earths and the
lliance in fire am I; the life in all
'rakriti is matter in the widest sense of the
, including all that has extension.
he sacred word Om.
6
n
82 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
beings, and I am the austerity in as-
cetics. (9)
Know Me, O Partha ! as the eternal
seed of all beings. I am the Buddhi of
the Buddhi-endowed, the splendour of
splendid things am I. (10)
And I the strength of the strong, de-
void of desire and passion. In beings
I am desire n6t contrary to Dharma, O
Lord of the Bharatas. (11)
The natures that are sattvic, rajasic,
tamasic, these know as from Me ; not I
in them, but they in Me. (12)
All this world, deluded by these
natures made by the three Gunas,
knoweth not Me, above these, imperish-
able. (13)
This divine Maya of Mine, Guna-
made, is hard to pierce ; they who come
to Me, they cross over this Maya.
(14)
The evil-doing, the deluded, the vile;^^
men, they come not to Me, they wh Jose
SEVENTH DISCOURSE. 83
wisdom is destroyed by Maya, who
have embraced the nature of Asuras.
05)
Fourfold in division are the righteous
ones who worship Me, O Arjuna: the
suffering, the seeker for knowledge, the
self-interested [and] the wise, O Lord
of the Bharatas. (i6)
Of these, the wise, constantly harmo-
nised, worshipping the One, is the best ;
I am supremely dear to the wise, and
he is dear to Me. (17)
Noble are all these, but I hold the
wise as verily Myself; he, SELF-united,
is fixed on Me, the highest goal. (18)
At the close of many births the man
full of wisdom cometh unto Me : " Vas-
udeva' is all," saith he, the Mahatma,
very difficult to find. (19)
They whose wisdom hath been rent
away by desires go forth to other
Grods, resorting to various external
* A name for Krishna, as the son of Vasudeva.
f
I
84 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
observances, according to their own
natures. (20)
Any devotee who seeketh to worship
with faith any such aspect, I verily be-
stow the unswerving faith of that man.
(21)
He, endowed with that faith, seeketh
the worship of such a one, and from
him he obtaineth his desires, I verily
decreeing the benefits; (22)
Finite indeed the fruit ; that belong-
eth to those who are of small intelli-
gence. To the Gods go the worshippers
of the Gods, but My devotees com6
unto Me. (23)
Those without Buddhi think of Me,
the unmanifest, as having manifesta-
tion, knowing not My supreme nature,
imperishable, most excellent. (24)
Nor am I of all discovered, enveloped
in My Yoga-Maya.* This deluded
' The creative power of Yoga, all things
being the thought forms of the One.
^
SEVENTH DISCOURSE. 85
world knoweth Me not, the unborn, the
imperishable. (25)
I know the beings that are past, that
are present, that are to come, O Ar-
juna, but no one knoweth Me. (26)
By the delusion of the pairs of oppo-
sites, sprung from attraction and repul-
sion, O Bharata! all beings walk this
universe wholly deluded, O Parantapa.
(27)
But those men of pure deeds, in
whom sin is come to an end, they freed
from the delusive pairs of opposites,
worship Me, steadfast in vows. (28)
They who refuged in Me strive for
liberation from birth and death, they
know Brahman, the whole Adhyatma,
and all Karma. (29)
They who know Me as Adhibhuta,
as Adhidaiva and a Adhiyagnya ' they,
* These five terms mean respectively the su-
preme Self, Action, the supreme living being
(in the sense of element, material for building
a universe), the supreme God, the supreme
f
S6 THE BHAGAVAD CfrA.
harmonized in mind, know Me verily
even in the time of forthgoing. ' (30)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the Bha-
GAVAD GItA, the science of Brahman, the scrip-
ture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna. the seventh discourse,
entitled :
THE YOQA OF DISCRIMINATIVE KNOWLEDGE.
sacrifice. The Sanskrit names are retained,
lest the explanation given of them in the next
discourse, by Shri Krishna himself, should
lose any of its force.
* Death — going forth from the body.
EIGHTH DISCOURSE. 87
EIGHTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said:
What is that Brahman, what Adhy-
atma, what Karma, O Purushottama?
And what is declared Adhibhuta, what
is called Adhidaiva? (i)
Who is Adhiyagnya in this body, and
how, O Madhusudana? And how at
the time of forthgoing art thou known
by the SELF-controlled? (2)
The Blessed Lord said:
The indestructible, the supreme, is
Brahman ; His essential nature is called
Adhyatma: the primal sacrifice that
causes the birth of beings is named
Karma; (3)
Adhibhuta is My perishable nature,
88 THE BHAGAVAD GfXA.
and Adhidaiva the life-giving energy ; '
Adhiyagnya am I, here in the body, O
best of living beings. (4)
And he who, casting off the body,
goeth forth thinking upon Me only at
the time of the end, he entereth into
My being: there is no doubt of that.
(5)
Whosoever at the end abandoneth
the body, thinking upon any being, to
that only he goeth, O Kaunteya, ever
to that conformed in nature. (6)
Therefore at all times think upon Me
only, and fight. With Manas and Bud-
dhi set on Me, without doubt thou shalt
come to Me. (7)
With the mind not wandering after
aught else, harmonised by continual
practice, constantly meditating, O Par-
tha, one goeth to the Purusha, su-
preme, divine. (8)
He who thinketh upon the Ancient,
' Purusha, the male creative energy.
EIGHTH DISCOURSE 89
the Omniscient, the All- Ruler, minuter
than the atom, the supporter of all, of
form unimaginable, refulgent as the
sun beyond the darkness. (9)
In the time of forthgoing, with un-
shaken Manas, fixed in devotion, by the
power of Yoga drawing together his
life-breath in the centre of the two eye-
brows, he goeth to this Purusha, su-
preme, divine. (10)
That which is declared indestructible
by the Veda-knowers, that which the
controlled and passion-free enter, that
desiring which Brahmacharya * is per-
formed, that path I will declare to thee
with brevity. (11)
All the gates'* closed, Manas confined
in "-.he heart, the life-breath fixed in his
own head, firm in Yoga, (12)
"Om!" the one-syllabled Brahman,
' The vow of continence.
*The gates of the body, ue,^ the sense-
organs.
\
90 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
reciting, thinking upon Me, he who
goeth forth, abandoning the body, he
goeth to the highest goal. (13)
He who constantly thinketh upon
Me, not thinking ever of another, of
him I am easily reached, O Partha, of
this ever harmonised Yogi. (14)
Having come to Me, these Mahatmas
come not again to birth, the place of
pain, non-eternal; they have gone to
the highest bliss. (15)
The worlds, beginning with the world
of Brahma, they come and go, O Ar-
juna; but he who cometh unto Me, O
Kaunteya, he knoweth birth no more.
(16)
The people who know the day of
Brahma, a thousand Yugas in duration,
and the night, a thousand ages in end-
ing, they know day and night. (17)
From the unmanifested all the mani-
fested stream forth at the coming of
day ; at the coming of night they dis-
EIGHTH DISCOURSE. 9 1
solve, even in That called the unmani-
fested. (18)
This multitude of beings, going forth
repeatedly, is dissolved at the coming
of night; by ordination, O Partha, it
streams forth at the coming of day. (19)
Therefore verily there existeth,
higher than that unmanifested, another
unmanifested, eternal, which, in the
destroying of all beings, is not de-
stroyed. (20)
That unmanifested, " the Indestruct-
ible," It is called ; It is named the high-
est goal. They who reach It return
not. That is My supreme abode. (21)
He, the highest Purusha, O Partha,
may be reached by unswerving devo-
tion to Him alone, in whom all beings
abide, by whom all This ' is pervaded.
That time wherein going forth. Yogis
*This, the universe, in opposition to that,
the source of all.
92 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
return not, and also that wherein going
forth they return, that time shall I de-
clare to thee, O prince of the Bharatas.
Fire, light, day-time, the bright fort-
night, the six months of the northern
path — then, going forth, the men who
know Brahman go to Brahman. (24)
Smoke, night-time, the dark fort-
night also, the six months of the south-
ern path — then the Yogi, obtaining the
moonlight,' returneth. (25)
Light and darkness, these are
thought the world's eternal paths; by
the one he goeth who returneth not, by
the other he who returneth again. (26)
Knowing these paths, O Partha, the
Yogi is nowise perplexed. Therefore
in all times be firm in Yoga, O Arjuna.
The fruit of meritorious deeds, at-
' The lunar, or astral, body. Until this is
slain the soul returns to birth.
EIGHTH DISCOURSE. 93
tached in the Vedas to sacrifices, to
austerities, and also to almsgiving, the
Yogi passeth all these by having known
this, and goeth to the supreme and an-
cient Seat (28)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GItA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the eighth discourse, en>
titled :
THE YOGA OF THE INDESTRUCTIBLE SUPREME
BRAHMAN.
I
94 THE BHAGAVAD g!ta.
NINTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said :
To thee, the uncarping, verily shall
I declare this profoundest Secret, wis-
dom with knowledge combined, which,
having known, thou shalt be freed
from evil. (i)
Kingly Science, kingly Secret, su-
preme Purifier, this; experimental,
according to Dharma, very easy to
perform, imperishable. (2)
Men without faith in this Dharma, O
Parantapa, not reaching Me, return to
the paths of this mortal world. (3)
By Me all this world is pervaded, in
My unmanifested aspect; all beings
have root in Me, I am not rooted in
them, (4)
NINTH DISCOURSE. 95
Nor have beings root in Me ; behold
my sovereign Yoga! The support of
beings yet not rooted in beings, My
Self their efficient cause. (5)
As the mighty air everywhere moving
is rooted in the Akasha, so all beings
rest rooted in me — thus know thou. (6)
All beings, O Kaunteya ! go into my
Prakriti at the end of a Kalpa ; * at the
beginning of a Kalpa I again send them
out. (7)
Abiding Prakriti 's Lord, I send forth
again and again all this multitude of
beings, helpless, by the force of Pra-
kriti. (8)
Nor do these works bind me, O
Dhananjaya, enthroned on high, un-
attached to these works. (9)
By My presiding, Prakriti sends forth
the moving and unmoving ; because of
this, O Kaunteya, the universe revolves.
(10)
* A period of activity, of manifestation.
g6 THE BHAGAVAD GiXA.
The foolish disregard Me, when clad
in human semblance, ignorant of My
supreme nature, the great Lord of
beings; (ii)
Empty of hope, empty of deeds,
empty of wisdom, senseless, partaking
of the deceitful rakshasic and asuric
Prakriti.* (12)
Verily the Mahatmas, O Partha! par-
taking of My divine Prakriti, worship
with Manas unwavering, having known
Me, the imperishable source of beings.
(13)
Always magnifying Me, strenuous,
firm in vows, prostrating themselves
before Me, they worship Me with de-
votion, ever harmonized. (14)
Others also sacrificing with the sac-
rifice of wisdom, worship Me as the
One and the Manifold everywhere pres-
ent. (15)
' The ttoasic Guna, or dark quality of Pra-
kriti, characterises these demons.
NINTH DISCOURSE. 97
I the oblation ; I the sacrifice ; I the
ancestral oflFering; I the fire-giving
herb ; the mantram I ; I also the butter ;
I the fire; the bumt-offering I; (i6)
I the Father of this universe, the
Mother, the Supporter, the Grandsire;
the Holy One to be known, the Om-
kara, and also the Rig, Sama, and
Yajur. (17)
The Path, Husband, Lord, Witness,
Abode, Shelter, Lover, Origin, Dis-
solution, Foundation, Treasure-house,
Seed imperishable. (i8)
I give heat; I hold back and send
forth the rain; immortality and also
death, Sat and Asat ' am I, Arjuna.
(19)
The knowers of the three,* the Soma-
drinkers, the purified from sin, wor-
shipping Me with sacrifice, pray of Me
' Existence and non-existence, the final pair
of opposites. beyond which is only the One.
« Vedas.
:y
98 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
the way to Svarga; they, ascending to
the holy world of the God Indra, eat in
heaven the divine feasts of the Grods.
(20)
They, having enjoyed the spacious
Svarga- world, their holiness withered,*
come back to this mortal world. Fol-
lowing the virtues enjoined by the
three,' desiring desires, they obtain the
transitory. (21)
To those men who worship Me alone,
thinking of no other, to those ever har-
monious, I bring full security of Yoga.
(22)
Even the devotees of other Gods,
who worship full of faith, they also
worship Me, O son of Kunti, though
contrary to the ancient rule. (23)
I am indeed the enjoyer of all sacri-
fices, and also the Lord, but they know
' The fruit of their good deeds finished, their
reward exhausted.
'^ Vedas.
NINTH DISCOURSE. 99
Me not in essence, and hence they fall.
They who worship the Gods go to
the Gods; to the Pitris go the Pitri-
worshippers; to the Bhdtas go those
who sacrifice to Bhutas ; * but My wor-
shippers come unto Me. (25)
He who offereth to Me with devotion
a leaf, a flower, a fruit, water, that I
accept from the purified self, offered as
it is with devotion. (26)
Whatsoever thou doest, whatsoever
thou eatest, whatsoever thou offerest,
whatsoever thou givest. whatsoever
thou doest of austerity, O Kaunteya!
do thou that as an offering unto Me.
(27)
Thus shalt thou be liberated from the
bonds of action (yielding) good and evil
fruits ; thyself harmonized by the Yoga
of renunciation, thou shalt come unto
Me when set free. (28)
' Elementals or nature-spirits.
i
lOO THE BHAGAVAD OtTA.
The same am I to* all beings; there
is none hateful to Me nor dear. They
verily who worship Me with devotion,
they are in Me, and I also in them.
Even if the most sinful worship Me,
with undivided heart, he too must be
accounted righteous, for he hath rightly
resolved ; (30)
Speedily he becometh dutiful and
goeth to eternal peace. O Kaunteya,
know thou for certain that My devotee
perisheth never. (31)
They who take refuge with Me, O
Partha! though of the womb of sin,
women, Vaishyas, even Shudras, they
also tread the highest Path. (32)
How much rather then holy Brah-
manas and devoted royal saints; hav-
ing obtained this transient joyless
world, worship thou Me. (33)
On Me (fix) thy Manas; be devoted
to Me ; sacrifice to Me ; prostrate thy-
NINTH DISCOURSE. JOT
self before Me ; harmonised thus in the
Self, thou shalt come unto Me, having
Me as thy supreme goal.
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad G!tA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the ninth discourse, en-
titled :
THE YOGA OF THE KINGLY SCIENCE AND THE
KINGLY SECRET.
I02 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
TENTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said :
Again, O mighty- armed, hear thou
My supreme word, that desiring thy
welfare, I will declare to thee who art
beloved. (i)
The multitude of the Gods, or the
great Rishis, know not My forthcom-
ing, for I am the beghining of all the
Gods and the great Rishis. (2)
He who knoweth Me, unborn, begin-
ningless, the great Lord of the world,
he among mortals without delusion, is
liberated from all sin. (3)
Buddhi, wisdom, non-illusion, for-
giveness, truth, self-restraint, calm-
ness, pleasure, pain, existence, non-
existence, fear and also courage, (4)
TENTH DISCOURSE. I05
Harmlessness, equanimity, content^
austerity, almsgiving, fame and oblo-
quy, are the various characteristics of
beings issuing from Me. (5)
The seven great Rishis, the ancient
Four, and also the Manus, were born
of My nature and mind ; of them this
race was generated. (6)
He who knows in essence that sov-
ereignty and Yoga of Mine, he is har-
monised by unfaltering Yoga ; there is
no doubt thereof. (7)
I am the Generator of all ; all evolves
from Me ; understanding thus, the wise
adore Me, in rapt devotion. (8)
Mindful of Me, their life hidden in
Me, illumining each other, ever con-
versing about Me, they are content and
joyful. (9)
To these, ever harmonious, worship-
ping in love, I give the Buddhi-Yoga
by which they come unto Me. (10)
Out of pure compassion for them,
f
I04 THE BHAGAVAD OtTA.
dwelling within their Self, I destroy
■
the ignorance-bom darkness by the
shining lamp of wisdom. (ii)
Arjuna said:
I
r
" Thou art the supreme Brahman, the
supreme Abode, the supreme Purity;
Purusha, eternal, divine, primeval God, i
unborn, the Lord!" (12)
All the Rishis have thus acclaimed
Thee, as also the divine Rishi, Narada;
so Asita, Devala, and Vyasa; and now
Thou Thyself tellest it me. (13)
All this I believe true that Thou say-
est to me, O Keshava. Thy manifes-
tation, O Blessed Lord, neither Gods
nor Danavas comprehend. (14)
Thyself indeed knowest Thyself by
Thyself, O Purushottama ! Source of
beings. Lord of beings, God of Gods,
Ruler of the world! (15)
Deign to tell \vithout reserve of Thy
divine self-sovereignty, by which sov-
K
TENTH DISCOURSE. I05
ereignty Thou stayest, pervading these
worlds. (16)
How may I know Thee, O Yogi, by
constant meditation? In what, in what
aspects art Thou to be thought of by
me, O blessed Lord? (17)
In detail tell me again of Thy Yoga
and sovereignty, O Janardana; there is
for me never satiety in hearing Thy
life-giving words. (18)
The Blessed Lord said :
Blessed be thou! I will declare to
thee My divine sovereignty by its
chief characteristics, O best of the
Kurus; there is no end to details of
Me.. (19)
I, O Gudakesha, am the Self, seated
in the heart of all beings; I am the
beginning, the middle, and also the
end of all beings. (20)
Of the Adityas I am Vishnu ; of radi-
ances the glorious sun; I am Marichi
f
Io6 THE BHAGAVAD CtTA.
of the Manits, of the asterisms the
moon am I. (21)
Of the Vedas I am the Sama-Veda, I
am Vasava of the Gods; and of the
senses I am Manas, I am of living
beings the intelligence. (22)
And of the Rudras Shankara am I,
Vittesha of the Yakshas and Rak-
shasas ; * and of the Vasns I am Pavaka,
Mern of high mountains am I. (23)
And know Me, O Partha, of house-
hold priests the chief, Vrihaspati; of
generals I am Skanda, of lakes I am
the ocean. (24)
Of the great Rishis Bhrigu, of speech
I am the one syllable ; ' of sacrifices I
am the sacrifice of silent repetitions,* of
immovable things the Himalaya. (25)
Asvattha of all trees, and of divine
Rishis Narada; of Gandharvas Chitra-
* Yakshas are demigods: R^shasas power-
ful and energetic demons.
''Om. ^Japa.
TENTH DISCOURSE. I07
ratha, of the perfected the Muni Ka-
pila. (26)
Uchchaishravas of horses know Me,
Amrita-born ; Airavata of lordly ele-
phants, and of men the monarch. (27)
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt, of
cows I am Kamaduk: I am Kandarpa
of the progenitors, of serpents Vasuki
am I. (28)
And I am Ananta of Nagas, Varuna
of sea-dwellers I ; and of Pitris Arya-
man, Yama of governors am I. (29)
And I am Prahlada of Daityas, of
measures time am I ; and of wild beasts
I the imperial beast,* and Vainateya of
birds. (30)
Of purifiers I am the wind, Rama of
warriors I ; and I am Makara of fishes,
of streams the Ganga am I. (31)
Of creations the beginning and the
ending, and also the middle am I, O
\rjuna. Of sciences the science of
' Lion.
I
1 08 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
Adhyatma, the right argument of ora-
tors I. (32)
Of letters the letter A I am, and the
Dvandva of a compound; I also in-
exhaustible time, I the supporter whose
face turns everywhere. {^^)
And all-devouring death am I, and the
origin of all to come : and of feminine
qualities honour, prosperity, speech,
memory, intelligence, constancy, for-
giveness. (34)
Of hymns also Vrihatsaman, Gayatri
of metres am I ; of months I am Mar-
gashirsha, of seasons the flowery. (35)
I am the gambling of the cheat, and
the splendour of splendid things I; I
am victory, I am determination, and
the truth of the truthful I. (36)
Of the Vrishnis Vasudeva am I, of
the Pandavas Dhananjaya; of the Mu-
nis also I am Vyasa, of wise men Us-
hana the Sage. (37)
Of rulers I am the sceptre, of those
TENTH DISCOURSE. IO9
that seek victory I am statesmanship;
and of secrets I am also silence, the
knowledge of knowers am I. (38)
And whatsoever is the seed of all be-
ings, that am I, O Arjtma! nor is there
aught, moving or unmoving, that may
exist bereft of Me. (39)
There is no end of My divine powers,
O Parantapa! What has been declared
is illustrative of My infinite sover-
eignty. (40)
Whatsoever is royal, good, beautiful,
and mighty, understand thou that to go
forth from My splendour. (41)
But what IS the knowledge of all
these details to thee, O Arjuna? Hav-
ing pervaded this whole universe with
a portion of Myself, I remain. (42)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad G!ta, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna. the tenth discourse, en-
titled :
THE YOGA OF SOVEREIGNTY.
IIO THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said:
This word of the Supreme Secret,
named Adhyatma, Thou hast spoken
out of compassion ; by this my delusion
is taken away. (i)
The production and destruction of
beings have been heard by me in detail
from Thee, O Lotus-eyed, and also Thy
imperishable greatness. (2)
Even as Thou describest Thyself, O
supreme Ishvara,' I desire to see Thy
form omnipotent, O best of beings. (3)
If thou thinkest that by me It can be
seen, O Lord, Lord of Yoga, then show
me Thine imperishable Self. (4)
* The supreme Lord as creator and ruler of a
universe.
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. Ill
The Blessed Lord said :
Behold, O Partha, the form of Me, a
hundredfold, a thousandfold, various
in kind, divine, various in colour and
shape. (5)
Behold the Adityas, the Vasus, the
Rudras, the two Ashvins and also the
Maruts; behold many marvels never
seen ere this, O Bharata. (6)
Here, to-day, behold the whole uni-
verse, movable and immovable, stand-
ing in one, in My body, O Gudakesha,
wij:h aught else thou desirest to see.
(7)
But verily thou art not able to be-
hold Me with these thine eyes; the
divine eye I give unto thee! Behold
My sovereign Yoga! (8)
San jay a said:
Having thus spoken, O King, the
great Lord of Yoga, Hari, showed to
112 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
Partha his supreme form as Ishvara.
(9)
With many mouths and eyes, with
many visions of marvel, with many
divine ornaments, with many upraised
divine weapons; (lo)
Wearing divine necklaces and ves-
tures, anointed with divine unguents,
the God all marvellous, boundless, with
face turned everywhere. (n)
If the splendour of a thousand suns
were to blaze out together in the sky,
that might resemble the glory of that
Mahatma. (12)
There Pandava beheld the whole
universe, divided into manifold parts,
standing in one, in the body of the God
of Gods. (13)
Then he, Dhananjaya, overwhelmed
with astonishment, his hair upstanding
with delight, bowed down his head to
the God, and with joined palms spake.
(14)
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. IIJ
Arjuna said :
Within Thy form, O God, the Gods I
see,
All grades of beings with distinctive
marks ;
Brahma, the Lord, upon His lotus-
thorne.
The Rishi all and Serpents, the Divine.
(IS)
With mouths, eyes, arms, breasts,'
multitudinous,
I see Thee everywhere, unbounded
Form.
Beginning, middle, end, nor source of
Thee,
Infinite Lord, infinite Form, I find;
(i6)
Shining, a mass of splendour every-
where.
With discus, mace, tiara, I behold :
Blazing as fire, as sun, dazzling the
gaze
* Literally, stomach.
8
I
114 THE BHAGAVAD CtTA.
From all sides in the sky, immeasur-
able. (17)
Lofty beyond all thought, unperish-
ing,
Thou treasure-house supreme; all-im-
manent,
Eternal Dharma*s changeless Guard-
ian, Thou;
As immemorial Man I think of Thee.
(18)
Nor source, nor midst nor end ! infinite
force,
Unnumbered arms, the sun and moon
Thine eyes!
I see Thy face, as sacrificial fire
Blazing, its splendour bumeth up the
worlds. (19)
By Thee alone are filled the earth, the
heavens.
And all the regions that are stretched
between ;
The triple worlds sink down, O mighty
One,
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. TI5
Before Thine awful manifested Form.
(20)
To Thee the troops of Suras enter in,
Some with joined palms in awe invok-
ing Thee ;
Banded Maharshis, Siddhas, "Svasti!"
cry,
Chanting Thy praises with resounding
songs. (21)
Rudras, Vasus, Sadhyas and Adityas,
Vishvas, the Ashvins, Maruts, Ush-
mapas,
Gandharvas, Yakshas, Siddhas, Asuras.
In wondering multitudes beholding
Thee. (22)
Thy mighty Form, with many mouths
and eyes,
Long-armed, with thighs and feet in-
numerate,
Vast-bosomed, set with many fearful
teeth.
The worlds see terror-struck, as also I.
(23)
c
n
Il6 THE BHAGAVAD g!tA.
Radiant Thou touchest heaven; rain-
bow-hued,
With opened mouths and shining vast-
orbed eyes.
My inmost self is quaking, having
seen,
My strength is withered, Vishnu, and
my peace. (24)
Like Time's destroying flames I see
Thy teeth.
Upstanding, spread within expanded
jaws ;
Nought know I anywhere, no shelter
find,
Mercy, O God ! refuge of all the worlds !
The sons of Dhritarashtra, and with
them
The multitude of all these kings of
earth,
Bhishma, Drona, Suta*s royal son,
And all the noblest warriors of our
hosts, (26)
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. II7
Into Thy gaping mouths they hurrying
rush,
Tremendous-toothed and terrible to see ;
Some caught within the gaps between
Thy teeth
Are seen, their heads to powder crushed
and ground. (27)
As river-floods impetuously rush,
Hurling their waters into ocean's lap,
So fling themselves into Thy flaming
mouths,
In haste, these mighty men, these lords
of earth. (28)
As moths with quickened speed will
headlong fly
Into a flaming light, to fall destroyed,
So also these, in haste precipitate.
Enter within Thy mouths destroyed to
fall. (29)
On every side, all-swallowing, fiery-
tongued.
Thou lickest up mankind, devouring all ;
Thy glory filleth space : the universe
i
1 18 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
Is burning, Vishnu, with Thy blazing
rays. (30)
Reveal Thy Self; what awful Form
art Thou?
I worship Thee! Have mercy, God
supreme !
Thine inner being I am fain to
know;
This Thy forthstreaming Life bewild-
ers me. (31)
The Blessed Lord said :
Time am I, laying desolate the world,
Made manifest on earth to slay man-
kind!
Not one of all these warriors ranged for
strife
Escapeth death; thou shalt alone sur-
vive. (32)
Therefore stand up ! win for thyself re-
nown,
Conquer thy foes, enjoy the spacious
realm.
By Me they are already overcome,
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. II9
Be thou the outward cause, left-handed
one. {33)
Drona and Bhishma and Jayadratha,
Kama and all the other warriors here
Are slain by Me. Destroy then fear-
lessly,
Fight! thou shalt crush thy rivals in
the field. (34)
San jay a said :
Having heard these words of Ke-
shava, he who weareth a diadem, with
joined palms, quaking, and prostrating
himself, spake again to Krishna, stam-
mering with fear, casting down his face.
(35)
Arjuna said:
Hrishfkesha ! in Thy magnificence
Rightly the world rejoiceth, bound to
Thee;
The Rakshasas to every quarter fly
In fear ; the hosts of Siddhas prostrate
fall. {36)
1
I20 THE BHAGAVAD CtXA.
How should they otherwise, O loftiest
Self !
First Cause ! Brahma Himself less great
than Thou.
Infinite, God of Gods, home of all
worlds,
Unperishing, Sat Asat, That supreme !
(37)
First of the Gods, most ancient Man
Thou art,
Supreme receptacle of all that lives,
Knower and known, the dwelling-place
on high.
In Thy vast Form the universe is
spread. (38)
Thou art Vayu and Yama, Agni, moon,
Varuna, Father, Grandsire of all :
Hail, hail to Thee! a thousand times
all hail !
Hail unto Thee ! again, again, all hail !
(39)
Prostrate in front of Thee, prostrate
behind.
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. 121
Prostrate on every side to Thee, O All.
In power boundless, measureless in
strength,
Thou holdest all: then Thou Thyself
art All. (40)
If, thinking Thee but friend, impor-
tunate,
Krishna! or O Yadava! O friend!
1 cried, unknowing of Thy majesty,
And careless in the fondness of my
love; (41)
If jesting, I irreverence showed to Thee,
At pla}', reposing, sitting or at meals.
Alone, O sinless One, or with my
friends,
Forgive my error, O Thou boundless
One. (42)
Father of worlds, of all that moves and
stands,
Worthier of reverence than the Guru's
self.
There is none like to Thee. Who
passeth Thee?
i
122 THE BHAGAVAD CtXA.
Pre-eminent Thy power in all the
worlds. (43)
Therefore I fall before Thee ; with my
body
I worship as is fitting; bless Thou
me.
As father with the son, as friend with
friend,
With the beloved as lover, bear with
me. (44)
I have seen That which none hath seen
before,
My heart is glad, yet faileth me for
fear;
Show me, O God, Thine other Form
again,
Mercy, O God of Gods, home of all
worlds. (45)
Diademed, mace and discus in Thy
hand,
Again I fain would see Thee as before ;
Put on again Thy four-armed shape, O
Lord,
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. 1 23
O thousand-armed, of forms innumer-
ate. (46)
The Blessed Lord said:
Arjuna, by My favour thou hast seen
This loftiest form by Yoga's self re-
vealed !
Radiant, all-penetrating, endless, first,
That none except thyself hath ever
seen. (47)
Nor sacrifice nor Vedas, alms nor works,
Nor sharp austerity, nor study deep,
Can win the vision of this Form for man.
Foremost of Kurus, thou alone hast
seen. (48)
Be not bewildered, be thou not afraid,
Because thou hast beheld this awful
Form;
Cast fear away, and let thy heart rejoice ;
Behold again Mine own familiar shape.
(49)
Sanjaya said :
Vasudeva, having thus spoken to Ar-
124 THE BHAGAVAD gIta.
juna, again manifested His own Form,
and consoled the terrified one, the Ma-
hatma again assuming a gentle form.
(50)
Ar juna said :
Beholding again Thy gentle human
Form, O Janardana, I am now col-
lected, and am restored to my own na-
ture. (51)
The Blessed Lord said:
This Form of Mine beholden by thee
* is very hard to see. Verily the Gods
ever long to behold this Form.
Nor can I be seen as thou hast seen
Me by the Vedas, nor by austerities,
nor by alms, or by offerings; (53)
But by devotion to Me alone I may
thus be perceived, Arjuna, and known
and seen in essence, and entered O
Parantapa. (54)
He who doeth actions for Me, whose
supreme good I am. My devotee, freed
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. IZJ
n attachment, without hatred of any
ig, he Cometh unto Me, O' Pandava..
(5S>
las m the glorious Upanishads of the
:;avad GIta, the science of Brahman, the
►ture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shn
hna and Arjun^, the eleventh discourse,
led:
YOQA OF THE VISION OF THC UNIVCRSAL
FORM..
126 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
^
TWELFTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said:
Those devotees who ever harmonised
worship Thee, and those also (who
worship) the Indestructible, the Un-
manifested, whether of these is the
more learned in Yoga? (i)
The Blessed Lord said :
They who with Manas fixed on Me,
ever harmonised worship Me, with
faith supreme endowed, these in My
opinion, are best in Yoga. (2)
They who worship the Indestructible,
the Ineffable, the Unmanifested, Omni-
present and Unthinkable, the Unchang-
ing, Immutable, Eternal, (3)
TWELFTH DISCOURSE. 1 27
Renouncing and subduing the senses,
regarding everything equally, in the
welfare of all rejoicing, these also
come unto Me. (4)
The difficulty of those whose minds
are set on the Unmanif ested is greater ;
for the path of the Unmanifested is
hard for the embodied to reach. (5)
Those verily who, renouncing all ac-
tions in Me, and intent on Me, worship
meditating on Me, with whole-hearted
Yoga, (6)
These I speedily lift up from the
ocean of death and existence, O Par-
tha, their minds being fixed on Me.
(7)
Place thy Manas in Me, into Me let
thy Buddhi enter; then without doubt
thou shalt abide in Me hereafter. (8)
But if thou are not able firmly to fix
thy mind on Me, then by the Yoga of
practice seek to reach Me, O Dhanan-
jaya. (9)
I
128 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
If also thou art not equal to constant
practice, be intent on my service ; per-
forming actions for my sake, thou shalt
attain perfection. (10)
If to do this even thou hast not
strength, then taking refuge in union
with Me renounce then all fruit of ac-
tion, with the self controlled. (11)
Better indeed is wisdom than con-
stant practice ; than wisdom meditation
is better : than meditation renunciation
of the fruit of action ; on renunciation
follows peace. (12)
He who beareth no ill-will to any be-
ing, friendly and compassionate, with-
out attachment and egoism, balanced
in pleasure and pain, and forgiving,
(13)
Ever-content, harmonious, with the
self controlled, resolute, with Manas
and Buddhi dedicated to Me, he, My
devotee, is dear to Me. (14)
He from whom the world doth not
TWELFTH DISCOURSE. 1 29
shrink away, who doth not shrink
away from the world, freed from the
anxieties of joy, anger and fear, he is
dear to Me. (15)
He who wants nothing, is pure, ex-
pert, passionless, untroubled, renounc-
ing every undertaking, he, My devotee,
is dear to Me. (16)
He who neither loveth nor hateth,
nor grieveth, nor desireth, renouncing
good and evil, full of devotion, he is
dear to Me. (17)
Alike to foe and friend, and also in
fame and ignominy, alike in cold and
heat, pleasures and pains, destitute of
attachment, (18)
Taking equally praise and reproach,
silent, wholly content with what com-
eth, homeless, firm in mind, full of de-
votion, that man is dear to Me. (19)
They verily who partake of this
Amrita-Dharma, as taught herein, en-
dued with faith, I their supreme (Ob-
9
130 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
ject), devotees, they are surpassin
dear to Me. 1
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of
Bhagavad GJta, the science of Brahman,
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between
Krishna and Arjuna» the twelfth discoi
entitled :
THE YOGA or DEVOTION.
THIRTEENTH DISCOURSE. 13I
THIRTEENTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said:
This body, son of Kunti, is called the
Field ; that which knoweth it is called
the Knower of the Field by the Sages.
(0
Understand Me as the Knower of the
Field in all Fields, O Bharata. Wisdom
as to the Field and the Knov/er of the
Field, that in My opinion is the wisdom.
What that Field is and of what na-
ture, how modified, and whence it is,
and what He * is and what His powers,
hear that now briefly from Me. (3)
Rishis have sung in manifold ways,
in many various chants, and in decisive
Brahma-sutra verses, full of reason-
ings. (4)
* Kshetragnya, the Knower of the Field.
f
^
132 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
The great elements, Ahankara, Bud-
dhi and also the Unmanifested, the ten
senses, and the one, and the five pas-
tures of the senses; (5)
Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain,
combination, * intelligence, firmness,
these, briefly described, constitute the
Field and its modifications. (6)
Humility, unpretentiousness, harm-
lessness, forgiveness, rectitude, service
of the teacher, purity, steadfastness,
self-control, (7)
Indifference to the objects of the
senses, and also absence of egoism, in-
sight into the pain and evil of birth,
death, old age and sickness, (8)
Unattachment, absence of self-identi-
fication with son, wife or home, and
constant balance of mind in wished-for
and unwished-for events, (9)
Unflinching devotion to Me, without
union with another, resort to seques-
» The body.
THIRTEENTH DISCOURSE. IJJ
tered places, absence of enjoyment in
the company of men, (lo)
Constancy in che Adhyatma- wisdom,
understanding of the object of essential
wisdom ; that is declared to be wisdom ;
all against it is ignorance. (ii)
I will declare that which is to be
^nown, that which being known im-
mortality is enjoyed — the beginning-
less supreme Brahman, called neither
being nor non-being. (12)
Everywhere That has hands and
feet, everywhere eyes, heads, and
mouths; all-hearing, He dwelleth in
the world, enveloping all. (13)
Shining with all sense-faculties with-
out any senses ; unattached supporting
everything; and free from attributes
enjoying attributes. (14)
Without and within all beings,
immovable and also movable ; by reas-
on of His subtlety imperceptible; at
hand and far away is That. (15)
n
134 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
Not divided amid beings, and yet
seated distributively ; That is to be
known as the supporter of beings ; He
devours and He generates. (16)
That, the Light of all lights, is said
to be beyond darkness; wisdom, the
object of wisdom, the end of wisdom,
seated in the hearts of all.
Thus the Field, wisdom and the ob-
ject of wisdom, have been briefly told.
My devotee, thus knowing, enters into
My Being. (18)
Know thou that Prakriti and Purusha
are both without beginning; and know
thou also that modifications and at-
tributes are all Prakriti -born. (19)
Prakriti is called the cause of the
generation of causes and effects ; Puru-
sha is called the cause of the enjoyment
of pleasure and pain. (20)
Purusha seated in Prakriti useth
the attributes born of Prakriti; the
attachment to the attributes is the
THIRTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 35
of his births in good and evil
3. (2I>
:tator and permitter, supporter,
sr, the great Ishvara, and also the
ae Self; thus is styled in this
he supreme Purusha. (22)
who thus knoweth the Purusha
e Prakriti with its attributes, in
)ever condition he may be, he
ot be bom again. (23)
e by meditation behold the Self
self by the Self ; others by the
ya Yoga, and others by the Yoga
on ; (24)
3rs also, ignorant of this, having^
of it from others, worship; and
ilso cross beyond death, adhering^
.t they had heard. (25)
.tsoever creature is bom, immo-
r mobile, know thou, O best of
aratas, it is from the union be-
the Field and the Knower of the
(26)
f
136 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
Seated equally in all beings, the
supreme Ishvara, indestructible within
the destructible — he who thus seeth,
he seeth. (27)
Seeing indeed everywhere the same,
Ishvara equally dwelling, he doth not
destroy the Self by the self, and thus
reacheth the supreme Goal. (28)
He who seeth that Prakriti verily
perfornieth all actions, and that the
Self is actionless, he seeth. (29)
When he perceiveth the diversified
existence of beings as rooted in One,
and proceeding from it, then he reach-
eth Brahman. (30)
Being beginningless and without attri-
butes, the imperishable supreme Self,
though seated in the body, O Kaun-
teya, worketh not nor is affected. (31)
As the omnipresent Akasha is not
affected, by reason of its subtlety, so
seated everj'-where in the body the Self
is not affected. (32)
THIRTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 37
As the one sun illumineth the whole
arth, so the Lord of the Field illumin-
;th the whole Field, O Bharata. {^^)
They who by the eye of wisdom per-
ceive this difference between the Field
and the Knower of the Field, and the
liberation of beings from Prakriti, they
go to the Supreme. (34)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GItA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna. the thirteenth discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE
FIELD AND THE KNOWER OF THE FIELD.
138 THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
^
FOURTEENTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said:
I will again proclaim that supreme
wisdom, of all wisdom the best, which
all the Munis having known have gone
hence to the supreme Perfection. (i)
Having taken refuge in this wisdom
and being assimilated to My own na-
ture, they are not re-born even in the
emanation of a universe, nor are dis-
quieted in the dissolution. (2)
My womb is the Mahat- Brahma; in
that I place the germ; thence cometh
the production of all beings, O Bharata.
(3)
In whatsoever wombs mortals are
produced, O Kaunteya, the Mahat-
Brahma is their womb, I their gener-
ating father.
(4)
FOURTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 39
Sattva, Rajas, Tamas, such are the
Gunas, Prakriti-born ; they bind fast in
the body, O great-armed one, the in-
destructible dweller in the body. (5)
Of these Sattva, from its stainless-
ness luminous and healthy, bindeth by
the attachment to bliss and the attach-
ment to wisdom, O sinless one. (6)
Rajas, the passion- nature, know thou,
is the source of attachment and thirst
for life, O Kaunteya, that bindeth the
dweller in the body by the attachment
to action. (7)
But Tamas, know thou, born of un-
wisdom, is the deluder of all dwellers
in the body ; that bindeth by heedless-
ness, indolence and sloth, O Bharata.
Sattva attache th to bliss, Rajas to
action, O Bharata. Tamas, verily hav-
ing shrouded wisdom, attacheth on the
contrary to heedlessness. (9)
Now Sattva prevaileth, overcoming
r
140 THE BHAGAVAD GItA.
Rajas and Tamas, O Bharata. (Now)
Rajas (overcoming) Sattva and Tamas;
and (now) Tamas (overcoming) Sattva
and Rajas. (10)
When the wisdom-light streameth
forth from all the gates of the body,
then it may be known that Sattva is
increasing. (11)
Greed, outgoing energy, undertaking
of actions, restlessness, desire — these
are born of the increase of Rajas, O
best of the Bharatas. (12)
Darkness, stagnation and heedless-
ness and also delusion — these are born
of the increase of Tamas, O joy of the
Kurus. (13)
If Sattva verily prevaileth when the
embodied goeth to dissolution, then he
goeth forth to the spotless words of the
great sages. (14)
Having gone to dissolution in Ra-
jas, he is born among those attached
to action; if dissolved in Tamas, he
FOURTEENTH DISCOURSE. 141
is bom in the wombs of the sense-
less. (15)
It is said the fruit of a good action is
Sattvic and spotless ; verily the fruit of
Rajas is pain, and the fruit of Tamas
unwisdom. (i6)
From Sattva wisdom is bom, and
also greed from Rajas; heedlessness
and delusion are of Tamas and also un-
wisdom. (17)
They rise upwards who are settled in
Sattva; the Rajasic dwell in the mid-
most place; the Tamasic go down-
wards, enveloped in the vilest qualities.
(i8)
When the Seer perceiveth no agent
other than the Gunas, and knoweth
That which is higher than the Gunas,
he entereth into My nature. (19)
When the dweller in the body hath
crossed over these three Gunas, whence
all bodies have been produced, liberated
from birth, death, old age and sorrow.
142 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
he drinketh the nectar of immortal-
ity. * (20)
Arjuna said:
What are the marks of him who hath
crossed over the three Gunas, O Lord?
How acteth he, and how doth he go
beyond these three Gunas? (21)
The Blessed Lord said :
He, O Pandava, who hateth not radi-
ance, nor outgoing energy, nor even
delusion when present, nor longeth
after them, absent ; (22)
He who, seated as a neutral, is un-
shaken by the Gunas; who saying,
"The Gunas revolve;" standeth apart,
immovable, (23)
Balanced in pleasure and pain, self-
reliant, to whom a lump of earth, a
rock and gold are alike; the same to
loved and unloved, firm, the same in
censure and in praise, (24)
The same in honour and ignominy,
» The Amrita.
FOURTEENTH DISCOURSE. I43
the same to friend and foe, abandoning
all undertakings — he is said to have
crossed over the Gunas. (25)
And he who serveth Me exclusively
by the Yoga of devotion, he, crossing
beyond the Gunas, he is fit to become
Brahman. (26)
For I am the abode of Brahman, and
of the indestructible nectar of immor-
tality, of immemorial Dharma, and of
unending bliss. (27)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad G!ta, the* science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the fourteenth discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF SEPARATION FROM THE THREE
QUNA8.
144 'I'H^ BHAGAVAD g!tA.
FIFTEENTH DISCOURSE.
The Blessed Lord said:
With roots above, branches below,
the Asvattha is said to be indestructi-
ble ; the leaves of it are hymns ; he who
knoweth it is a Veda-knower. (i)
Downwards and upwards spread the
branches of it, nourished by the Gunas,
the objects of the senses its buds ; and
its roots grow downwards, the bonds of
action in the world of men. (2)
Nor here may be acquired knowledge
of its form, nor its end, nor its origin,
nor its rooting-place ; this strongly-
rooted Asvattha having been cut down
by the unswerving weapon of non-at-
tachment, (3)
FIFTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 45
That path beyond may be sought,
treading which there is no return. I
go indeed to that original Purusha
whence the ancient energy forth^
streamed. (4)
Without pride and delusion, victori-
ous over the vice of attachment, dwell-
ing constantly in Atma, desire pacified^
liberated from the pairs of opposites
known as pleasure and pain, they tread,
undeluded, that indestructible path.
(5)
Nor doth the sun lighten there, nor
moon, nor fire; having gone whither
they return not; that is My supreme
dwelling-place. (6)
A portion of Mine own Self, trans-
formed in the world of life into an im-
mortal Giva,* draweth round itself the
senses of which Manas is the sixth,
placed in Prakriti. (7)
' A living soul, individualized from the Uni-
versal Spirit.
10
146 THE BHAGAVAD gIta.
When the Lord acquireth a body and
when He abandoneth it, He seizeth
these and goeth with them, as the wind
(takes) fragrances from their retreats.
(8)
Enshrined in the ear, the eye, the
touch, the taste and the smell, and in
Manas also. He enjoyeth the objects of
the senses. (9)
The deluded do not perceive Him
when He departeth or stayeth, or en-
joyeth, swayed by the Gunas; the wis-
dom-eyed perceive. (10)
Yogis also, struggling, perceive Him,
established in the Self; but though
struggling, the unintelligent perceive
Him not, their self untrained. (11)
That splendour issuing from the sun
that enlighteneth the whole world, that
which is in the moon and in fire, that
splendour know as from Me. (12)
Permeating the soil, I support be-
ings by My vital energy, and having
FIFTEENTH DISCOURSE. 147
become the delicious Soma ' I nourish
all plants. (13)
I, having become Vaishvanara, take
possession of the bodies of breathing
things, and united with Prana and
Apana, I digest the four kinds of food.
(14)
And I am seated in the hearts of all,
and from Me memory and wisdom and
their absence. And that which is to
be known in all the Vedas am I ; and I
indeed the Veda-knower and the author
of the Vedanta. ^' (15)
There are two Purushas in this world,
the destructible and the indestructible ;
the destructible (is) all beings, the un-
changing (is) called the indestructible.
(16)
The highest Purusha is verily An-
other, declared as the supreme Self.
^ " Having become the watery moon" is the
accepted translation.
148 THE BHAGAVAD OtXA.
He who pervading sustaineth the three
worlds, the indestructible Ishvara.
(17)
Since I excel the destructible, and
am more excellent also than the inde-
structible, in the world and in the Veda
I am proclaimed Purushottama. ' (18)
He who undeluded knoweth Me thus
as Purushottama, he, all-knowing, wor-
shippeth Me with his whole being, O
Bharata. (19)
Thus by Me this most secret teaching
hath been told, O sinless one. This
known, he hath become illuminated,
and hath finished his work, O Bharata.
(20)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GtTA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the fifteenth discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF ATTAINING PURUSHOTTAMA.
' The highest Purusha.
SIXTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 49
SIXTEENTH DISCOURSE.
Fearlessness, cleanness of life, stead-
fastness in the Yoga of wisdom, alms-
giving, self-restraint and sacrifice and
study of the Shastras, austerity and
straightforwardness, (r)
Harmlessness, truth, absence of
wrath, renunciation, peacefulness, ab-
sence of crookedness, compassion to
living beings, uncovetousness, mild-
ness, modesty, absence of fickleness, (2)
Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, pu-
rity, absence of envy and pride — these
are his who is born with the divine
properties, O Bharata. (3)
Hypocrisy, arrogance and conceit,
wrath and also harshness and unwisdom
are his who is born, O Partha, with
asuric ' properties. (4)
^ The Asuras were the enemies of the Suras,
or gods ; *' demoniac properties" m\^\\\.\ifc f*«JA,
f
K
150 THE BHAGAVAD CtxA.
The divine properties are deemed (to
be) for liberation, the asuric for bond-
age. Grieve not, thou art bom with
divine properties, O Pandava. (5)
Twofold is the animal creation in this
world, the divine and the asuric; the
divine hath been described at length;
hear from Me, O Partha, the asuric. (6)
Asuric men know not either right
energy or right abstinence ; nor purity,
nor even propriety, nor truth is in
them (7)
" The universe is without truth, with-
out (moral) basis," they say, "without
a God,* brought about by mutual union
and caused by lust and nothing else. "(8)
Holding this view, these ruined selves
of small Buddhi, of fierce deeds, come
forth as enemies for the destruction of
the world. (9)
Surrendering themselves to insatiable
. desires, possessed with vanity, concei
* fshvara, the ruler of a universe.
SIXTEENTH DISCOURSE. 151
and arrogance, holding evil ideas
through delusion, (they) engage in ac-
tion with impure resolves. (lo)
Giving themselves over to unmeas-
ured thought whose end is death, re-
garding the gratification of desires as
the highest, feeling sure that this is all,
Held in bondage by a hundred ties of
expectation, given over to lust and
anger, they strive to obtain by unlaw-
ful means hoards of wealth for sensual
enjoyments. (12)
*' This to-day by me hath been won,
that purpose I shall gain; this wealth
is mine already, and also this shall be
mine in future. (13)
" I have slain this enemy, and others
also I shall slay. I am the Lord, I am
the enjoyer, I am perfect, powerful,
happy; (14)
" I am wealthy, well-bom ; what other
is there that is like unto me? I will
152 THE BHAGAVAD GItA.
sacrifice, I will give (alms), I will re-
joice. " Thus deluded ' by unwisdom,
05)
Bewildered by numerous thoughts,
enmeshed in the web of delusion, ad-
dicted to the gratification of desire,
they fall downwards into a foul hell. (16)
Self-sufficing, obstinate, filled with
the pride and intoxication of wealth,
they perform lip-sacrifices for ostenta-
tion, contrary to scriptural ordinance.
(17)
Given over to egoism, power, inso-
lence, lust and wrath, these malicious
ones hate Me in the bodies of others
and in their own. (18)
These haters, evil, pitiless, vilest
among men in the world, I ever throw
down into asuric wombs. (19)
Cast into an asuric womb, deluded
birth after birth, attaining not to Me,
O Kaunteya, they sink into the lowest
depths. (20
Triple is the gate ol \-\v\^ \\vi\\, d<
SIXTEENTH DISCOURSE. 153
structive of the self — lust, wrath and
greed; therefore let man renounce
these three. (21)
A man liberated from these three
gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, ac-
complisheth his own welfare and thus
reacheth the highest goal. (22)
He who having cast aside the ordi-
nances of the Shastras, followeth the
promptings of desire, attaineth not to
perfection, nor happiness, nor the high-
est *goal. (23)
Therefore let the Shastras be thy au-
thority, in determining what ought to
be done, or what ought not to be done.
Knowing what hath been declared by
the ordinances of the Shastras^ thou
oughtest to work in this world. (24)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GItA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna, the sixteenth discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF DIVISION BETWEEN THE DIVINE
AND THE A8URIC.
154 THE BHAGAVAD OfxA.
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said:
Those that sacrifice full of faith,* but
casting aside the ordinances of the
Shastras, what is verily their condition,
O Krishna? (Is it one of) Sattva, Ra-
jas or Tamas? (i)
The Blessed Lord said :
Threefold is by nature the unborn
faith of the embodied — sattvic, rajasic
and tamasic. Hear thou of these. (2)
The faith of each is shaped to his own
nature, O Bharata. The man consists
of his faith ;' that which his faith is, he
is even that. (5)
> Shraddha.
^That is. the man's faith shows what is the
man's character.
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 55
Sattvic men worship the gods; rajasic
the Yakshas and Rakshasas ; the others^
the tamasic folk, worship Pretas and
troops of Bhutas. * (4)
The men who perform severe austeri-
ties, unenjoined by the Shastras, wed«
ded to vanity and egoism, impelled by
the force of their desires and passions,
(5)
Unintelligent, tormenting the aggre-
gated elements forming the body, and
Me also, seated in the inner body, know
these asuric in their resolves. (6)
The food also which is dear to each
is threefold, as also sacrifice, austerity
and almsgiving. Hear thou the dis-
tinction of these. (7)
The foods that augment vitality, en-
ergy, vigour, health, joy and cheerful-
ness, delicious, bland, substantial and
agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic. (8)
^ Pretas are ghosts, the departed, while
Bhfitas are nature-spirits of a somewhat goblin-
like type.
156 THE BHAGAVAD OtxA.
The Rajasic desire foods that are
bitter, sour, saline, over-hot, pungent,
dry and burning, and which produce
pain, grief and sickness. (9)
That which is stale and fiat, putrid
and corrupt, leavings also and unclean,
is the food dear to the Tamasic. (10)
The sacrifice which is offered by men
without desire for fruit, as enjoined by
the ordinances, under the firm belief
that sacrifice is a duty, that is sattvic.
(II)
The sacrifice offered with a view ver-
ily to fruit, and also indeed for self-
glorification, O best of the Bharatas;
know thou that to be rajasic. (12)
The sacrifice contrary to the ordi-
nances, without distributing food, de-
void of the Mantras and without gifts,*
empty of faith, is said to be tamasic.
(13)
Worship given to the Gods, to the
^ To the officiating priests.
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE. 157
twice-born, to Gurus and to the wise,
purity, straightforwardness, continence
and harmlessness, are called the au-
sterity of the body. (14)
Speech causing no annoyance, truth-
ful, pleasant and beneficial, the practice
of the study of the Shastras, are called
the austerity of speech. (15)
Mental happiness, equilibrium, si-
lence, self-control, purity of nature —
this is called the austerity of the mind. '
(16)
This threefold austerity, performed
by men with the utmost faith, without
desire for fruit, harmonised, is said to
be sattvic. (17)
The austerity which is practised with
the object of gaining respect, honour and
reverence, and for ostentation, is said
to be rajasic, unstable and fleeting. ( 1 8)
That austerity done under a deluded
understanding, with self-torture, or
^ Manas.
158 THE BHAGAVAD CtxA.
with the object of destroying another,
that is declared tamasic. (19)
That alms given to one who does
nothing in return, believing that a gift
ought to be made, in a (fit) place and
time, to a worthy person, that alms is
accounted sattvic. (20)
That given with a view to receiving
in return, or looking for fruit again, or
grudgingly, that alms is accounted ra-
jasic. (21)
That alms given at unfit place and
time, and to unworthy persons, disre-
spectfully and contemptuously, that is
declared tamasic. (22)
"Om Tat Sat," this has been con-
sidered to be the threefold designation
of Brahman. By that were ordained of
old Brahmans, Vedas and sacrifices.
(23)
Therefore with the pronunciation of
•*Om" the acts of sacrifice, gift anr
austerity as laid down in the ord
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 59
nances are always commenced by the
knowers of Brahman. (24)
With the pronunciation of " Tat " and
without aiming at fruit are performed
the various acts of sacrifice, austerity and
gift, by those desiring liberation. (25)
" Sat " is used in the sense of reality
and goodness; likewise, O Partha, the
word " Sat " is used in the sense of a
good work. (26)
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity
and gift is also called "Sat," and an
action for the sake of That is also
named "Sat." (27)
Whatsoever is wrought without faith,
oblation, gift, austerity, or other deed,
"Asat" it is called, O Partha; it is
nought, here or hereafter. (28)
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the
Bhagavad GtTA, the science of Brahman, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Shri
Krishna and Arjuna. the seventeenth discourse,
entitled :
THE YOGA OF THE DIVISION OF THREEFOLD
FAITH.
l6o THE BHAGAVAD GIta.
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said:
I desire, O mighty-armed! to know
severally the essence of renunciation,*
O Hrishikesha, and of relinquishment,*
O Keshinisudana.' (i)
The Blessed Lord said:
Sages have known as renunciation
the renouncing of works with desire;
the relinquishing of the fruit of all ac-
tions is called relinquishment by the
wise. (2)
" Action should be relinquished as an
evil,"* declare some thoughtful men;
' Sanny^sa.
2 Ty^ga.
'Slayer of Keshi, a demon.
^ Some read ; ** becaxxs© \\. \s e^V,"
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. l6l
"acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity
should not be relinquished," say others.
(3)
Hear my conclusions as to that re-
linquishment, O best of the Bharatas ;
since relinquishment, O tiger of men,
has been explained as threefold. (4)
Acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity
should not be relinquished, but should
be performed; sacrifice, gift and also
austerity are the purifiers of the intel-
ligent. (5)
But even these actions should be done
leaving aside attachment and fruit, O
Partha ; that is my certain and best be-
lief. (6)
Verily renunciation of actions that
are prescribed is not proper ; the relin-
quishment thereof from delusion is said
to be tamasic. (7)
He who relinquisheth an action from
fear of physical suffering, saying.
Painful," (thus) performing a rajasic
II
l62 THE BHAGAVAD CtXA.
relinquishment obtaineth not the fruit
of relinquishment. (8)
He who performeth a prescribed ac-
tion, saying, "It ought to be done," O
Arjuna, relinquishing attachment and
also fruit, that relinquishment is re-
garded as sattvic. (9)
The relinquisher pervaded by Sattva,
intelligent and with doubts cut away,
hateth not unpleasurable action nor is
attached to pleasurable. (10)
Nor indeed can embodied beings
completely relinquish action ; verily he
who relinquisheth the fruit of action he
is said to be a relinquisher. (n^
Good, evil and mixed — threefold i
the fruit of action hereafter for tl"
non - relinquisher ; but there is no-
ever for the renouncer. (
These five causes, O mighty-arm
learn of Me as declared in the Sank
system for the accomplishment o
actions —
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 63
The body, the actor, the various or-
gans, the divers kinds of energies, and
the (presiding) deities also, the fifth.
(14)
Whatever action a man performeth
by his body, speech and mind,* whether
right or the reverse, these five are the
cause thereof. (15)
That being so, he verily who — owing
to untrained Buddhi — looketh on his
Self, which is isolated, as the actor,
he, of perverted intelligence, seeth not.
(16)
He who is free from the egoistic no-
tion, whose Buddhi is not affected,
though he slay these peoples, he slay-
eth not, nor is bound. (17)
Knowledge, the knowable and the
knower, the threefold impulse to ac-
tion; the organ, the action, the actor,
the threefold constituents of action.
(18)
' Manas.
i
^
164 THE BHAGAVAD GItA.
Knowledge, action and actor in the
category of gunas are also said to be
(severally) threefold, from the differ-
ence of gunas; hear thou duly these
also. (19)
That by which one indestructible ^
Being is seen in all beings, inseparate
in the separated, know thou that knowl-
edge as sattvic. (20)
But that knowledge which regardeth
the several manifold existences in all
beings as separate, that knowledge
know thou as rajasic. (21)
While that which clingeth to each
one thing as if it were the whole, with-
out reason, without grasping the real-
ity, narrow, that is declared to be ta-
masic. (22)
An action which is ordained, done by
one undesirous of fruit, devoid of at-
tachment, without passion or malice,
that is called sattvic. (23)
But that action that is done by one
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 65
longing for desires, or again with ego-
ism, or with much eflEort, that is de-
clared to be rajasic. (24)
The action undertaken from delu-
sion, without regard to capacity and
to consequences — ^loss and injury (to
others) — that is declared to be tamasic.
(25)
Liberated from attachment, not as-
serting the personality, being an ego-
ist, endued with firmness and vigor,
unturned by success or failure, that
actor is called sattvic. (26)
Passionate, desiring to obtain the
fruit of actions, greedy, harmful, im-
pure, moved by joy and sorrow, such
an actor is pronounced rajasic. (27)
Discordant, vulgar, stubborn, cheat-
ing, malicious, indolent, despairful,
procrastinating, that actor is called
tamasic. (28)
The division of Buddhi and of firm-
ness also threefold according to the
f
l66 THE BHAGAVAD GItA.
gunas, hear thou related, unreservedly
and severally, O Dhananjaya.
That which knoweth energy and ab-
stinence, what ought to be done and
what ought not to be done, fear and
fearlessness, bondage and liberation,
that Buddhi is sattvic, O PSrtha. (30)
That by which one understandeth
awry Dharma and Adharma,* and also
what ought to be done and what ought
not to be done, that Buddhi, O Partha,
is rajasic. (31)
That which, enwrapped in darkness,
thinketh Adharma to be Dharma, and
(seeth) all things subverted, that Bud-
dhi, O Partha, is tamasic. (32)
The firmness by which from unwa-
vering Yoga, by which one restrained
the actions of Manas, of the life-breatt
and of the sense-organs, that firmnes
O Partha, is sattvic. (3;
^ Right and wrong in the widest sense, ^
and lawlessness.
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 67
But the firmness, O Arjuna, by which,
from attachment desirous of fruit, one
holdeth fast Dharma, desire and wealth,
that firmness, O Partha, is rajasic. (34)
That by which one from stupidity
doth not abandon sleep, fear, grief, de-
spair, and also vanity, that firmness, O
Partha, is tamasic. (35)
And now the threefold kinds of pleas-
ure hear thou from Me, O bull of the
Bharatas; that in which one by practice
rejoiceth, and which putteth an end to
pain : (36)
Which at first is as venom but in the
end is as nectar; that pleasure is said
to be sattvic, bom of the blissful knowl-
edge of the Self. (37)
That which from the union of the
senses with their objects at first is as
nectar, but in the end is like venom,
that pleasure is accounted rajasic. (38)
That pleasure which both at first and
afterwards is delusive of the ^e,\i^ ^xSs.-
l68 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
ing from sleep, indolence and heedless-
ness, that is declared tamasic. (39)
There is not an entity, either on the
earth or again in heaven among the
Gods, that is liberated from these three
gunas, born of Prakriti. (40)
Of Brahmans, Kshattriyas, Vaishyas
and Shiidras, O Parantapa, the Karmas *
have been distributed, according to the
gtmas born of their own natures. (41)
Serenity, self - restraint, austerity,
purity, forgiveness and also upright-
ness, wisdom, knowledge, belief in God,
are the Brahmana- Karma, bom of his
own nature. (42)
Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexter-
ity, and also not flying from battle,
generosity, the nature of a ruler, are
the Kshattriya-Karma, born of his own
nature. (43)
' " Duty" might here be used throughout, but
the word Karma is now well understood and
is more significant; it is action arising from
the nature fashioned by past thoughts and
desires.
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 69
Ploughing, protection of kine, and
trade are the Vaisha-Karma, bom of
his own nature. Action of the nature,
of service is the Shudra- Karma, bom
of his own nature. (44),
Man reacheth perfection by each
being intent on his own Karma. Lis-
ten thou how perfection is won by him
who is intent on his own Karma. (45).
He from whom is the emanation of
beings, by Whom all This is pervaded,
by worshipping Him in his own Karma
a man winneth perfection. (46)
Better is one's own Dharma, though
destitute of merits, than the well-exe-
cuted Dharma of another. He who
doeth the Karma laid down by his own
nature incurreth not sin. (47),
Nature-born Karma, O son of Kunti,
though defective, ought not to be aban-
doned. All undertakings indeed are
clouded by defects as fire by smoke.
C48V
IV
17© THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
He whose Buddhi is everywhere un-
attached, the self subdued, dead to de-
sires, he goeth by renunciation to the
supreme perfection of freedom from
Karma. (49)
How he who hath attained perfection
obtaineth Brahman, learn thou from
Me only succinctly, O Kaunteya, that
highest state of wisdom. (50)
United to Buddhi purified, control-
ling the self by firmness, having aban-
doned sound and the other objects of
the senses, having laid aside passion
and malice, (5 1)
Dwelling in solitude, abstemious,
speech, body and mind * subdued, con-
stantly fixed in meditation and Yoga,'
taking refuge in dispassion, (52)
Having cast aside egoism, violence,
arrogance, desire, wrath, covetousness,
1 Manas.
*Some read "dhy^ayoga," "Yoga of medi-
tation.**
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 71
selfless and peaceful — ^he is fit to be-
come Brahman. (53)
Becoming Brahman, serene in the
Self, he neither grieveth nor desireth ;
the same to all beings, he obtaineth
supreme devotion unto Me. (54)
By devotion he knoweth Me in es-
sence, who and what I am; having
thus known Me in essence he forthwith
entereth into That. (55)
Though ever performing all actions,
taking refuge in Me, by My grace he
obtaineth the internal indestructible
abode. (56)
Renouncing mentally all works in
Me, intent on Me, resorting to Buddhi-
Yoga, have thy thought ever on Me.
(57)
Thinking on Me, thou shalt overcome
all obstacles by My grace ; but if from
egoism thou wilt not listen, thou shalt
be destroyed utterly. (58)
Entrenched in egoism, thou thinkest.
172 THE BHAGAVAD gItA.
"I will not fight;*' to no purpose thy
determination; nature will constrain
thee. (59)
O Son of Kuntt, bound by thine own
Karma, bom of thine own nature, that
which from delusion thou desirest not
to do, even that helplessly thou shalt
perform. (60)
Ishvara dwelleth in the hearts of all
beings, O Arjuna,by His Maya * causing
all beings to revolve, as though mounted
on a potter's wheel. (61)
Flee unto Him for shelter with all
thy being, O Bharata; by His grace
thou shalt obtain supreme peace, the
everlasting dwelling-place. (62)
Thus hath wisdom, more secret than
secrecy (itself), been declared unto
thee by Me; having reflected on it
fully, then act thou as thou listest.
(63)
Listen thou again to My supreme
' Illusive power.
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 1 73
word, most secret of all; beloved art
thou of Me, and steadfast of heart,
therefore will I speak for thy benefit.
(64)
Merge thy Manas in Me, be My de-
votee, sacrifice to Me, prostrate thyself
before Me, thou shalt come even to
Me. I pledge thee My troth ; thou art
dear to Me. (65)
Abandoning all Dharmas, come unto
Me alone for shelter; sorrow not, I will
liberate thee from all sins. (66)
Never is this to be spoken by thee to
anyone who is without asceticism, nor
without devotion, or as who desireth
not to listen, or yet to him who speak-
eth evil of Me. (67)
He who shall declare this supreme
secret among My devotees, having
shown the highest devotion for Me,
without doubt he shall come to Me. * (68)
' Some read "asansbaya." which would be
"being freed from doubts."
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